


Fairy Tail: A New Flame

by piper5381



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-17 09:38:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 94,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3524408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piper5381/pseuds/piper5381
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From being orphaned, being a servant, to being raised by Atlas Flame for a very short time, 11 year old Hikari eventually finds Fairy Tail. Though quite the handful and stubborn at first, she starts to fit in quite easily, ever so slowly making friends with everybody. However, it is the heart of Erza Scarlett that she begins to melt the most. The two eventually become inseparable, but a tragedy for Hikari tears at her, and her Dragon Slayer gifts shut down. She distances herself from the others as well. Can the gang show Hikari that the guild is family, can her powers be restored, and can Erza show that, blood or not, she is her child?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fairy Tail

"Why are you always in my way!?"

"In your way? You're the one in the way!"

"Are you looking to start something squinty eyes?"

"Bring it on, droopy eyes! I'll beat you to a pulp!"

"And they're at it again…" A young, blonde female sat down at a nearby table, resting her chin in the palm of her hand as she watched two of her best friends go at it for probably the fifth time that day.

"Well, there'd be something wrong if they weren't getting into some kind of fight every hour, Lucy." Said a white haired woman, bringing a drink to the seated girl.

"Thank you, Mirajane." Lucy said back, taking the cup. "You would just figure that for as long as they have known each other, they would run out of things to fight about.

"True, but I can't complain too much." Mirajane giggled. "It is rather adorable when those sides come out."

"I'm not entirely sure if ' _adorable_ ' would be my exact word choice…"

"It doesn't matter how old they get. They will always end up fighting."

Both women turned towards the new voice, Mirajane lighting up when she saw who it was. "Good afternoon, Master. Back from your errands?"

"Mhm. And right in time for the show, too." He replied.

"You really get a kick out of them fighting, don't you…" Lucy asked.

"What can I say? It's entertaining!" Makarov answered. "Unless Erza comes in and stops it, they always beat each other till they can't stand. What's not to enjoy? Plus, it's good for them. They push each other to become better fighters, so each time, they become a little bit stronger."

"Enjoyment of watching members beat each other senseless…" Lucy said softly, a small smile on her face. "So is the life of the Fairy Tail family."

                                                                                                                                                                 ✦

" _Ne…it smells funny here_ …"

Deep, chocolate brown eyes of a young, petite girl scanned the rather large building standing in front of her. Rumors, and this scent, was what brought her here, her deep curiosity for these rumors only growing when the scent became stronger. Could she have possibly found what she was looking for?

"Fairy…Tail…"

For a good week, upon hearing about it, she searched for this place, only arriving in Magnolia that morning, determined to join if she could. She desperately wanted to go on jobs and make her own money. She wanted to get stronger and learn how to really control what she could do. And, most of all, she wanted to meet the rumored being who was said to be quite powerful. The one who had similar gifts as her own. That one person…

" _Salamander_."

Sniffing the air again, she knew he had to be here. Her sense of smell was never wrong. What was he like? What was the guild like? Was it better than her previous home? She had heard and read that they could be quite destructive at times when doing their work, but, being someone who was a little destructive herself, she had no issues. And as for the home thing…well…it had been quite awhile since she had been there...and anything was better than her previous living quarters, right?

" _Just be careful_ …" If, somehow, she did get in, she had to make sure to always stay focused with her work. She couldn't get attached nor could she make friends. She wouldn't have time for it, nor did she have an interest in making any. Nothing would get in the way of her keeping her promise…

" _The question now is how to get in_ …" This thought passed through her mind as a light breeze ruffled her long, deep brown locks a bit. Could she just walk in? Would she get in trouble if she did so? She wasn't exactly sure how to go about doing this, but in the end, walking in seemed to be her only option. So, with that in mind, she placed the map she had been carrying back inside her slightly tattered messenger bag, let out a small sigh, and headed towards the door.

"What do you think you are doing?" Upon hearing the sudden pair of strange voices, she turned to find herself facing two boys, probably at least fifteen years old and both much taller than her, too.

"Were you planning on going in there?" Asked one with dirty blond hair. "If you were, think again. Only strong wizards can enter. You don't look very strong."

She remained silent at this, having no interest in speaking back. It was her silence, however, that caused the second boy with jet black hair, to walk over and push her, knocking her back slightly.

"Look at how weak she is." He laughed. "Can't even hold herself up with a little push. You're probably not even a wizard, and even if you can do some kind of magic, it's probably not any good. They would never let someone like you inside."

The boy that had pushed her did so again, this time knocking her right to the ground.

"Weakling…you have no right to be near a great guild like this, so get away. There's no place for you here."

"Excuse me? You're not picking on that girl, are you?"

"So what if we are?" they both asked, turning to face the voice. However, as soon as they saw who they were speaking to, their attitude disappeared quickly, fear filling their gaze.

"Oh no…it's her!" one of them said. "That armor…that emblem…that evil gaze…" "Erza!" They both shouted, and moments after, they took right off running at the speed of light. "We're sorry! We didn't mean anything by it! Please don't hurt us!" ..... 

_"Well…ok then_."

This was not exactly what the girl was expecting. Guess they weren't so tough after all. Turning to face this Erza, she was expecting to see something extremely frightening judging by the boys reactions, but, when she saw her, there was nothing really scary at all. Yes, there was armor…yes, there was some sort of mark…but she seemed to miss that scary gaze that was mentioned. Instead, she saw a look of warmth, one that took her a little off guard.

"Are you all right?"

The girl did not answer, looking on in silence. Leaning down, Erza held out her hand for the other to grab. "I'm sorry they were picking on you like that." Still, no answer, her gaze locked on with the woman's own brown eyes. Though it might seem normal to some, seeing that kind of warmth was a little strange for the young female, so strange that it seemed to freeze her a little bit, leaving her unable to run off like she usually did. It was just…odd, because, for as long as she could remember, no adult ever looked at her warmly.

Finally snapping out of it, she pulled her gaze away with a small blush, not wanting to look like an idiot. Ignoring the hand, she stood up on her own, brushing away the bits of dirt from her black skirt. The mage could tell the girl was a little stiff attitude wise and might not want to be bothered, but a little feeling inside her told her to press on anyways, and she did so, standing up as well.

"My name is Erza. Erza Scarlet. I'm a mage in the Fairy Tail guild."

Still not wanting to make eye contact, the girl instead looked back at the building. So she was from Fairy Tail, huh? Were members of that guild that scary that they could scare kids like those boys so easily on sight? "Here." The girl was broken from her little trance when she suddenly felt a hand upon her back.

"Why don't you come in?" Erza offered. "It's really hot out in here, and a lot cooler in there. We can get you some water, too."

Was this woman serious? Most people would just leave her be once she showed them little to no interest in speaking to them, but this one did no such thing. This one, instead, was offering her a break from the hot weather, which, although she didn't mind the heat, a little water sounded pretty nice, but was it really ok? Erza could see the conflict on the girl's face, the bit of unsettlement in her eyes, and in return, she merely smiled, nodding towards the guild.

"It's ok." She told her warmly. "It really is. Trust me."

Well now, trusting was something she wasn't going to do whether she went inside or not. Another thing that wasn't exactly her style, and though part of her wanted to decline the offer, she knew she had to get in there somehow, and what better way to do so then by one who is already a member? So, in seeing no other way, she accepted, following the woman towards the door. With the getting in part under way, her next step was to somehow become a member of the guild. It was the strongest one around, and this was where she wanted to be. She also had to meet this Salamander, which, with the scent still being strong, she knew he was inside. It was time to see if those rumors were true or not.

"You idiot! You call that a hit!?"

"Don't call me the idiot when you're the real idiot here!" Punch after punch, kick after kick, the two kept throwing whatever move they could, each striving to be the better one.

"You call this fighting?" Gray asked, throwing an upper cut punch and landing it square beneath Natsu's chin. "When are you going to get serious?"

"What?!" Natsu raged. Recovering from the hit, he jumped, turning in midair, and slammed a nice, hard kick onto the side of Gray's head. "Serious? I'll show you serious! Fire Dragon's Iron-"

"Ice make-"

"Are you guys fighting again?"

.....

"Gah!" Within half a second, both boys pushed away from each other, now suddenly acting as if nothing had even happened. "Fighting? Us? Why would we do that?" Natsu asked nervously. "We would be never fight! We were just…hmm?" Natsu immediately stopped speaking the moment he saw the little girl. In fact, not only was he staring, but everyone else was staring, too. Some with curiosity, some with no emotion at all, but regardless of expression, all eyes were on her.

" _Wow…she can silence them as well with a few words…perhaps she is scarier than I thought_."

Ignoring the stares, Erza reached out and gently ushered the girl to a nearby table for her to sit.

"Wait here. I'll be right back with some water." Placing her bag on the table, she leaned back in her chair with a sign, crossing her arms over her chest. She could still feel their eyes upon her, leaving her to feel slightly uncomfortable. How she hated being the center of attention…It made her feel vulnerable…odd in her very own skin. She had a feeling a moment like this would occur, however. She was a new face after all, and it was only natural for others to stare when something new came around.

"Here you go." Erza came back carrying a blue mug, placing it in front of the child upon arriving. The child wasted no time in picking it up, gulping away at it until it was empty. She failed to realize how thirsty she really was.

"What's your name?"

Erza had now taken a seat right across from the girl, questions flowing through her mind. Who was she? Where did she come from? How old was she? Why was she here?

"Did you have an interest in joining?" It was common for people to just show up when they wanted to become part of the guild, even children. Many of the members who were here now started out here as kids.

" _Is she even listening to me_?" the scarlet haired beauty wondered.

Oh yes, the girl was definitely listening. She just wasn't ready to speak was all. She was still slightly busy taking in her surroundings and wondering what it took to become a member. She could really care less what others wanted to know about her.

"Maybe she doesn't know how to speak." Natsu piped in, making his way over. Standing beside the younger female, he gave a little poke to her head. "Or maybe she just doesn't understand."

"I think she does." Erza said back. "She seemed to understand what I was saying before I brought her in here."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am sure." Erza replied.

The dragon slayer thought for a moment, still not fully believing the other mage. "I don't know." He told her. "She kind of has a funny smell, but I can't pin point it. Hmmm…Oi! Hello? Do you understand what I am saying?" Nothing. "Maybe slower. I said, do-you-under-stand-what-I-am-"

"Salamander."

Natsu quieted when the girl suddenly spoke. In fact, any type of noise was quieted, people even more curious now that she had finally said something.

"Are you….Salamander?"

The girl locked gazes with the black eyed male, the other looking back questioningly at why, regardless of all the other questions being asked, that particular subject came up.

"Salamander is a nickname." He answered. "My real name is Natsu."

"Natsu…" she said slowly. "Natsu…"

Yep, she was right on target. If the scent wasn't enough to prove it, the fact that she walked in seeing flames around his hands on top of the move he began shouting out confirmed it all. This was the real deal…another dragon slayer….

"Interesting…" she said softly. "

Why is it interesting?" he asked.

"…I just didn't expect the son of Igneel to have pink girly hair."

…..

"What?!" Natsu snapped, his mouth dropping. Those were not the words he, or anyone, was expecting to hear from the new comer, though the comment did get some teasing snickers from around the bar.

"I said I didn't expect you to have pink, girly hair."

"I don't have girly hair!" he shouted. "It's normal hair! Spiked hair! That's normal for guys."

"Yes, but pink is a girl's color." She said back. "Therefore, you have girly hair."

"I don't!" He was raging now. "Who do you think you are? Don't think that just because you're a kid I won't fight you!"

"Hey, Natsu, don't get mad at her." Gray told him. "She was only telling the truth, but don't worry, the pink hair works great on you. It brings out your feminine side."

"Butt out ice boy!" he yelled, spouting fire from his mouth as he did so. "No one asked you!"

Moving her sight from Natsu to Gray, she shot him a hard but neutral gaze. "I wouldn't be smirking if I were you." She told him. "At least he has his clothes on, pervert."

"What?" he asked, looking down before jumping out of his seat. "Gah! What the… I'm not a pervert!" The girl just let out a small sigh, rubbing her temple. People could be so annoying sometimes. Leaving those two to rage on, she turned her attention to Erza. No point in keeping quiet now since she had already spoken.

"Hikari. My name is Hikari Kikoru."

Erza, who was also slightly shocked at the comments the young girl made (even though she did find them amusing) simply smiled once that initial shock went away. Regardless of what was said, she was just happy the girl was finally speaking.

"Hikari. That's a pretty name. How old are you?"

"Eleven." She answered, ignoring the compliment. "And yes, to answer that other question from before, I am looking to join this guild. Does your Master happen to be around?"

The woman nodded, pointing to the long bar table that was behind Hikari. Turning, she found a very short, old man sitting on top of it, arms and legs crossed with a staff in hand. Without missing a beat, she stood up and walked over, stopping when she was directly in front of him.

"Master." She said with a respectful bow. "I am very sorry if I am intruding here in anyway, but I am looking for a guild to join, and if you are accepting, I would like to join this one."

Makarov looked at her thoughtfully, not blinking once as he stared the girl down.

"There is no intrusion at all. Hikari was your name, yes?" he asked, the girl nodding in reply. "Good then. So tell me, Hikari. Why do you wish to join a guild?"

"To train." She answered. "I want to become a stronger person, not only to defend myself, but others as well. I want to learn how to control what I can do, too. I'm still a little rough with it. And I need the money. I live on my own and support myself, so I need whatever money I can earn."

"On your own? What of your parents?"

He asked. "….Dead." There was no emotion in her voice when she spoke this. She was long over the death of her parents, which happened when she was but a mere child. She was raised by another "Father" after that, which was heaven for her, and then went to live with her Aunt when that ended, but that darkness of her past was not something she wished to revisit.

" _She's alone_ …" Erza thought, her heart clenching a little. She knew what it was like to be alone like that and to always have to rely on yourself.

"I see…" he said. "Hmmm…with much training, you could become stronger to defend yourself or anyone from harm, but it is a long, harsh road to get there at times. Are you willing to face the trials of this?"

"Yes."

"And to control your gifts properly, that can take much time, focus, and practice as well. Will you take that time to learn?"

"Yes."

"Good. It matters not how long it takes someone to truly master their gifts. What matters is what you take and learn from your journey to get there. That is what helps you learn control and makes you stronger. Tell me, what is it you can do?"

Up till now, she had been pretty straight forward with her answers, but at this, Hikari couldn't help but shift a bit uncomfortably. It was the one question she was hoping would not come about. "With all due respect, Master, I do not wish to share that right now. I would prefer to let it be shown when the time is right."

Makarov thought carefully about this request, but decided to let it be.

"Don't let her in, Gramps!" Natsu suddenly shouted. "She's barely been in here five minutes and she's already started trouble!"

"Says the one who causes trouble every five minutes." Erza replied back.

"Nobody asked you!"

The Master closed his eyes for a moment, pondering over what he would do. That answer came quickly though, for he, as everyone knew, was not the type to turn anyone with a willingness to learn down.

"Very well." He told Hikari. "You're in. Welcome to Fairy Tail."

Though it was the words she had wanted to hear, she couldn't help but raise an eye brow at the sudden verdict.

"Wait…that's it?"

"Is there supposed to be more?" Makarov asked.

"Well I…no." Hikari replied. " I guess if you say there's not. I just assumed it would be a lot harder was all, but I'm not complaining. Um…thank you."

In attempt to clean up the slightly awkward moment, Hikari gave another bow.

"If that's the case, I shall be taking my leave then. I want to find a place to live before nightfall. I'll be back in the morning to look for a job. Thank you." And with that, she fetched her bag and walked out, not once looking back.

.....

"Well…she looks like a bundle of joy."

Lucy peered over at Mirajane, who, as always, had that same calm and happy look on her face.

"Isn't she?" She asked. "It was funny to see her get Natsu and Gray all worked up. She seems pretty brave. In knowing who he was, she didn't even look scared when Natsu started flipping out or even when he threatened her."

"Brave or crazy." Lucy said back. "Master, do you really think she's ok here? She's already gotten on the bad side of both Natsu and Gray."

"Mhm." He replied. "I think she will do well here. Fairy Tail will be her home now. It is always a home for children who have none."

"And not to mention…" Mirajane said with a little giggle. "It seems like Erza has taken a liking to her." Lucy turned her gaze to the armored woman who was still sitting at the table. Though much was going on around her, those brown eyes were transfixed on the door from when the girl left, the woman deep in thought.

"Taken a liking to her?"

"Yes." Mirajane told her. "Erza, like many of us, knows what it's like to be alone and to have to support yourself. Correct me if I am wrong, but she seemed really focused on this one and I sensed and saw some Motherly instincts kick in."

"Motherly?" Lucy asked. She hadn't ever really pictured the woman a Mother, but in thinking about it a bit longer, she would probably make a good one. "But it seems that they just met today. How could a feeling like that kick in so quickly?"

"Connections forged that quickly happen all the time." Mirajane replied. "Two best friends, someone's first and true love, and, perhaps in this case, one of a Mother and a Daughter. I'm not saying anything will come of it, but I did see something different in our Erza, however slight it was. Master is right. I think she will do well here, too. As I mentioned before, she is much like a lot of us here, coming in as children and having no parents. We learned the true bond of family together, in this guild, and that we are never alone. I think that with our help, in time, she will learn that, too."

Lucy smiled warmly at the woman's words. She was right. They were more than just a guild. They were a family. Nobody was ever truly alone.

"Let's do our best then to give her a warm welcome." Lucy said with a wink.

"Yes." Mirajane replied, returning the warm smile and the wink. "Let's do our best."

                                                                                                                                                                     ✦

" _Ne…finally_ …"

For the rest of the afternoon until close to nightfall, Hikari wandered around town, looking for an apartment. Not many seemed to be renting out, but just before night hit, she found something, a place only costing her 50,000 jewels a months to live in. She could swing that, especially if she got some decent jobs. It wasn't that far from the guild either. Now that finding the place and making the deal was set, all she had left to do was unpack. This wasn't a long project seeing as she didn't own much. Some clothing, a few books, a bit of food, a few basic bathroom necessities….just little things. She wasn't very high maintenance, so she didn't need much to get by. When things were put away, she stopped and glanced around the area. For the price she would be paying, it really wasn't a bad place. She had her own bed, a little kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and even a little porch with a balcony. That bit seemed to intrigue her the most. Heading over, she slid the door open and stepped outside. First, she looked down below, spotting a similar balcony to her own. She remembered the owner telling her that another wizard lived on the first floor, but she was never told who. Looking up, her gaze fell upon the blackened sky, her eyes widening as she stared at it.

"Wow..."

Every star one could possibly think of was out, the moon full and bright. It was a beautiful night, and if possible, she probably would have stayed up just to watch it. It had been awhile since she had done so, but…

" _Hikari-chan!_ "

Hikari's heart stung for a moment, that familiar voice playing in her head. Of course it would act up now. Why wouldn't it? After all, star gazing used to be their favorite thing to do together. With a bit of a saddened half smile, the girl leaned on the railing, her eyes falling from the sky to the city in front of her. What a day it had been.

"Ne…I got in…Yuki-chan."

Those words were spoken out loud very softly though no one was there to listen.

"I got into Fairy Tail. I was surprised at how easy it was though. I thought there would be some kind of test, but, he just accepted me. Weird, isn't it? I found Igneel's son, too. His name is Natsu. It seems he has a quick temper. I do remember being told that I might find him someday, and that there was a chance he would be like that, too seeing as Igneel was known for a temper at times as well. Good thing I followed those rumors, yeah?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she let out a small sigh. "You know…I'm not entirely a fan of being part of a guild, but if it's the only way to help make me stronger…I just don't like being around people, especially adults. You know how I am. They're all just the same. Well…there was one who took me by surprise." Her thoughts traveled back to the early afternoon when those kids were picking on her. "I didn't really care about those boys, but did you know that someone actually came to help me? It was some woman named Erza. She's from the guild, too. She's the one who brought me in. Something weird happened when she helped me though. She didn't have that look I'm used to seeing. It was different. It was…warm. I know, it sounds crazy right? I was probably just seeing things."

Looking back up at the sky, she let herself get lost in the sea of stars. Sometimes she forgot how big it was, and that if you stared at it long enough, it felt like it would swallow you whole. Sometimes…she wished it had.

"I think….I should sleep." She spoke. "Or at least attempt to. I want to get to work as soon as possible, so I suppose a bit of rest is needed." Taking one last look at the moon, she turned away, stepping back inside her apartment, but just before the door slid closed, another whisper made it's way into the darkness outside.

"Goodnight Yuki-chan...goodnight."


	2. Chapter 2

  
"The moment has come."

Hidden deep in the underground of a great mountain, workings of a dark magic took place. Whispers of an incantation could be heard from the dark guild that gathered at the heart of it, the leader watching in silence as the magic slowly came to life. Long have they waited for this opportunity…this chance to make themselves great. How? With the awakening of an evil demon that lay sealed into the mountain wall.

"The moment of triumph…" spoke a hooded figure, who stood before the trapped entity. "The moment where not only dark guilds, but every guild will bow down to us. With him, a new era will start. With him, we can create a new world. Now rise…awaken from your sleep…Gaimeka!"

As soon as his name was spoken, the seal holding the demon back broke, the mountain shaking moments after. The quake got stronger as it continued, and eventually, the wall began to break, a rock fist protruding from it.

"Rise…" the guild leader spoke. "Rise!"

Soon enough, a whole body made of stone broke through until the entirety of who they were summoning was standing before them, his red eyes gleaming down at the mass of people.

"My lord…" the leader spoke, getting down on his knees and bowing, the rest of the guild following suit. "My lord, it was us who awakened you. It was us who broke you free from your eternal slumber. We are your humble servants."

The demon scanned over the bowing figures, his breathing heavy as he listened to one speak.

"You…who awakened me…" he repeated, his voice deep.

"Yes!" the leader replied looking up. "We awoke you so you may finish what you had started before being confined to your prison!"

A low growl escaped from Gaimeka before more words were spoken.

"Well done…"

Now the leader, and the guild itself, were expecting some sort of reward from this creature, a huge praise for doing what they had done. They were willing to follow him and take every order. However, what happened next was not what anyone was expecting. Before anything else could be said, the demon took his stone hand and swiped the leader off the ground, squeezing his body tightly as he held him close to his face.

"My…lord…" he spoke, gasping for air. This caused Gaimeka to simply laugh, sending shivers down the spines of every wizard in there.

"You pathetic fools." It growled lowly. "Yes indeed you have set me free, and for that I am grateful. It's too bad no one here will live to tell the tale."

"What?" the leader asked, he and the others now in a panic. "But…we can help! This world has changed since your time and we can-gah!"

The demon squeezed him tighter, the man losing air quickly.

"I do not need help to survive, therefore there is no reason anyone here should live. It was a wizard who trapped me, so now, all wizards will die. You all have the honor of being the first."

Yes…hidden deep in the underground of a great mountain, workings of a dark magic took place, and when that dark magic came to life, it began its work…and no one could hear the screams.

                                                                                                                                                          ✦

So far, things seemed to be going as she planned. She found her way to Magnolia, despite getting lost a few times, found the guild, got accepted, and even found the Salamander as well. And now that she was settled into her own place, she was ready to start some work. So, after a bit of breakfast, she slung her bag over her shoulder and headed to the guild hall. The earlier, the better in her mind. She could get her hands on good paying jobs before anyone else could, and as she arrived and stepped inside, another benefit of being early came forth.

" _Less people…_ "

Definitely less people. There wasn't as many in there yet as there were yesterday when she first walked in. Not so many eyes staring, and those who were there that did stare, she simply ignored.

Scanning the area, she soon found the board that carried all the job requests on it and headed in that direction.

"Good morning, Hikari-chan."

And there went her peace and quiet.

"How did you sleep? Were you able to find a nice place?"

At this point, Hikari had reached the board and was now glancing at each request in attempt to find the one she wanted. And, to shut the white haired girl up, she continued to ignore, but…that didn't seem to work.

"By the way, my name is Mirajane. Mirajane Strauss."

"Mira-nee!"

"Lisanna!"

Another white haired female, though her style was a little shorter, joined Mirajane, hugging her from behind.

"Good morning, Lisanna." The woman said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did!" Lisanna replied. "Hey Mira-nee, do you think we could…oh…" The girl's eyes were now on the child. "Who's this?"

"This is Hikari." Her sister answered. "She just joined yesterday."

"Awwww." Said Lisanna, kneeling all bright eyed over the dark haired girl. "She looks so cute! Hi! My name is Lisanna!"

The elder girl held out her hand to shake, but Hikari paid no mind to it, caring less about any introductions.

"Uh…Hikari?"

"Kyaaa!"

Mid conversation, the door to the guild slammed open, Natsu and his pal Happy stepping inside.

"Let's hurry up and pick a job already! I wanna go out and kick some butt!"

"Aye!" Shouted Happy.

" _Someone please help me_ …" Hikari thought with a sigh. " _Bring back the peace and quiet...and note to self. You need to start coming even earlier_ …"

"Calm down, Natsu." Said Lucy, walking in from behind. "Did you really have to kick the door down?"

"Of course, he's Natsu." Said a dark haired male, also walking in. "He doesn't think before he does stupid things."

"Who are you calling stupid, mint breath?" Natsu shouted, flames forming around his hands.

"The person who can't even walk into the guild without breaking things, flame breath." The guy said back. "Honestly Natsu, you really are stupid sometimes."

"Why you little-"

"Natsu…Gray…"

Last to follow the others in was Erza, armored as usual as she stared the other two down.

"Quit fighting and let's find a job. You two really don't always need to be-"

Her sentence stopped short when her eyes fell upon a familiar face.

"Hikari?"

This was the first time the child reacted to being spoken to, turning to face her and the crew when her name was called.

" _Erza_ …" she thought to herself, her face showing no emotion as they locked gazes. There were parts of her that still wondered why this woman seemed so warm yesterday and why she helped her when those boys came around when usually, no other adult would even try.

" _It was just a fluke. It was nothing_." This is what she summed it up to. So Erza helped her out once. Didn't make her good. Probably just some pity gesture or something.

"You!"

Natsu disturbed this little silent moment by storming up to the girl, who in return, simply turned away and looked at the board again.

"You brat! Don't think I've forgotten what you said yesterday! You're a guild member now, which means I can really fight you! Let's go!"

" _You've got to be kidding me_ …" Hikari thought.

"Come on! I'll show you there's nothing girly about me!"

"Natsu! Always so rash…she's just a kid." Lisanna piped in.

"But Lisanna…she called my hair girly yesterday! There's nothing girly about me and I'm gonna make sure she doesn't forget that!"

"You really do get worked up over the simplest things, don't you?" Lisanna said with a smirk. Walking over, she ruffled his pink hair. "I don't think it looks girly at all. I love your hair. It fits you well."

"Li…Lisanna…" Natsu said with a blush.

"She liiiiiikes you…" giggled Happy.

"Shut it!" Natsu turned his attention back to Hikari. "Just watch it! One of these days I….huh, where did she go?"

While they were chatting and yelling away, Hikari, tired of hearing it, slipped out of the mini crowd, a paper in hand, and was heading towards the door.

"Get back here!" Natsu raged.

" _How annoying_ …" she thought

"Hikari."

This newer voice caused her to stop in her tracks. This one was one she would not ignore. Turning, she locked eyes with its owner.

"Yes, Master."

Makarov came walking up with his hands behind his back, stopping a few feet away from the female.

"Already starting your first job?"

"Yes. I mentioned yesterday I would be doing so." She replied.

"Indeed…well there is one thing I forgot to mention to you."

"What's that?" she asked.

Makarov eyed the other for a moment, not blinking once, before speaking.

"You're not allowed to go on jobs on your own yet."

There was silence throughout the hall when these words were stated.

"Wait…what?" Hikari asked, eyes furrowed.

"I said, until further notice, I don't want you going on jobs by yourself."

Hikari's eyes widened when she heard this, her calm, quiet personality quickly disappearing.

"Why?" she asked. "Can't people do jobs on their own?"

"They can." He replied. "But you are new here, and a child at that."

"A child that can take care of herself!" she said back. "I can do this. I don't need anyone's help!"

"But I am not sure of that." He told her. "I don't even know what your gift is. How am I to know you can fare on your own?"

"But I can! I don't need anyone babysitting me! I can handle anything that comes my way!"

"It's not babysitting, it's team work. For now, you'll be safe going with other people."

"What does it matter to you if I am safe or not?" Hikari asked. "I'm telling you I can handle a job!"

"It matters because you are a member of this guild and if I feel that someone in this family will be in too much danger, they will be protected."

"But this isn't my family." She spat back.

"This guild became your family the moment you joined."

Hikari remained silent, infuriated at what she was being told. No way was this her family, no matter what the old man said. It was stupid…illogical. She barely knew anyone and no one knew her. How could she be considered family? It was a guild. Simple as that.

"That is my final word on it. If you wish to go on a job, then you will need to find someone to go with you."

Hikari clutched the paper in her hand, getting angrier by the second. What was his deal? He mentioned nothing of this yesterday. She thought she would be able to do jobs freely, and now she wouldn't be able to do anything like it unless someone else joined her.

"Ha!" Natsu said, pointing at her. "Guess you're out of luck, brat! No one is going to want to go on a job with you!"

Although she wanted to punch him for it, she knew Natsu was right. No one would want to join her, which meant no jobs, and that didn't settle with her in the slightest. No way was she giving up this fight.

"Master, I-"

"We'll take her."

Silence again filled the room the moment another voice spoke. The speaker walked from the crowd and stood beside the angered girl, facing the master.

"Hmm…you'll be willing to do this…Erza?"

Hikari's eyes widened a bit more when she saw the woman stand beside her.

"Erza…"

Was this woman trying to help her again? And if she was, then why? What was the point of it? The two hardly knew each other, but she seemed perfectly fine in doing so. It didn't make sense.

"Yes." Erza spoke. "The team and I will be happy to assist her on this job and any other job she may want in the future."

She then turned and faced Hikari, that warm smile from the day before returning.

"Don't worry, we don't mind helping at all."

Hikari felt a little blush forming, and before it could show clearly, she turned her head away, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean we don't mind!" Natsu spat. "There's no way we are helping this little brat! Let someone else take her! I don't want to have to be stuck with-"

Before the dragon slayer could finish his sentence, Erza had shot him her signature evil glare.

"We're helping."

And that gaze, as usual, shut Natsu right up

"I hate that look…" he said meekly.

"Aye…" Happy replied, hiding behind Natsu's head. "Erza-chan is scary."

"I think helping her is a great idea!"

Stepping out from the crowd now was Lucy, whom, though Hikari never officially met her knew her name from hearing it the day before.

"Erza is right!" she said with a smile. "You won't need to worry. We'll help you out the best we can!"

"And a job is a job." Gray mentioned, joining them as well. "So I guess I can't complain much."

Erza, looking back at the child, spotted the paper in her hand.

"What job were you interested in?"

Hikari did not like this idea. She did not like it at all. She didn't come here to work with other people on jobs. She came here to work on her own, to raise her own money and do things independently. However, she knew that in a guild, a Master's word was law, and there was no backing out of it. If she wanted to work, she would have to do so with others. Yes, she could leave the guild if she really didn't like that rule, but from what she heard people say, this was the strongest one around, and stronger was what she needed to become. So, reluctantly, she held out the paper to Erza and handed it to her without a word. Taking it, the woman scanned its contents.

"This one is perfect." She said. "Right in the neighboring town. There's a band of thieves that have been stealing from local trade guilds. "

"A band of thieves?" Gray asked. "Sounds like we can have a little fun."

"It's decided. We'll go." She handed the paper back to the child, flashing her a warm smile. "We'll do this together."

Hikari took the paper from her hand, and, still not happy about this whole plan, simply turned away and walked out.

"Whatever. Let's just get this done and over with."

"That little ungrateful-"

"Nastu!" Erza said, stopping him before he could finish. "Everyone. Let's go."

And with that, she walked out, Lucy and Gray following suit with a sulking Natsu following last.

When all was said and done, Mirajane walked over and stood beside Makarov.

"She doesn't seem too happy about this. Why did you make it so she couldn't do anything on her own?"

"So she can learn that in this guild, you are never on your own." He replied. "You heard what she said. She thinks she can handle things on her own and take whatever comes at her. She is probably under the impression she has to do things by herself, which is not true. She'd probably even deny help in the most serious of situations. That way of thinking can lead her to her death if it is not changed. She wanted training, and here it is. She will learn that it's ok to work with and rely on others when needed."

Mirajane glanced at the doorway where the crew had left, a small smile growing on her face.

"Well, if there is anyone who can help change that thought, it's them. Let's hope she sees it."

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"Hmm…why do you think she is so quiet?"

The four mages, along with Hikari, were already half way to the next town. Hikari, wanting to stay as far away as possible, was a bit ahead of them, not really in the mood to mingle. She still wasn't happy about the arrangement, but knew she really had no other choice.

"I don't know." Erza replied to Lucy. "She probably has a lot on her mind. "

"Let her stay quiet." Natsu spoke. "I don't feel like hearing her voice."

"Don't be so mean." Lucy said back, shooting her friend a glare.

"Well she started it!" He told her. "Plus, I don't like her smell. There's something funny about it."

"You're just saying that because you don't like her." Lucy mumbled.

"No, he's right." Gray commented. "I may not be able to smell it, but I can feel it. There's some strong magic to her, but I don't know what. "

" _Strong magic_?" Lucy thought. Could Hikari be holding a lot of magical power?

"I'm going to and try talking to her." The blond stated.

"What's the point?" Natsu asked. ". If she wants to be alone, let her be alone. All she does is ignore us, so just ignore her. "

"Hikari already seems scary." Happy added. "I don't want to see it get worst."

"That's not how it works." Erza cut in, pulling her cart. "Just because she says she wants me be alone doesn't mean that's how she really feels. The people who claim to be strong and independent like that are usually the ones who want attention the most…the ones who feel the loneliest."

"Erza…" Lucy said softly. If anyone in the guild knew about loneliness, it was definitely her. Eying the woman, she could see her gaze locked on Hikari, seriousness in her eyes.

" _Erza must think Hikari feels that way…and if that's really true…_  "

"Hikari!"

Without a second thought, the celestial spirit user ran to catch up with the girl, slowing to a walk when she was by her side.

"Hey, Hikari-chan." She said with a smile. "Um, are you excited about your first job?"

The reaction, as always, was silence, the girl acting as if Lucy wasn't even there.

"I remember being nervous on mine, but with everyone here together, we'll definitely be ok."

Still nothing, but she wasn't giving up.

"This team is really amazing. I mean, I don't think I am that great, but look at Natsu. His dragon slayer gifts are amazing. He had a tendency to charge head on right into things, but he's a really good friend and a good person. Gray is really good with his ice. He might not seem that friendly, but he really is nice. Everyone would probably be ok if he stopped randomly stripping though…and then there's Erza. Erza uses re-equip magic. You should see some of the armor and weapons she can use. She's so strong, and really pretty, too! I myself use Celestial Magic. I use celestial spirits, like Cancer and Leo, to help me fight. It's really-"

"You talk a lot…you know that?"

It was the first time Hikari had spoken on the trip, and they were not exactly the words Lucy expected.

"Well I….um…I was-"

"It's really annoying. You'll never get a boyfriend if you stay like that."

…..

Yep. Arrow right through the heart. Meekly, she travelled back to the gang, a bit of her pride destroyed.

"I'm starting to think that Natsu may be right on this one…" she said, feeling defeated. "I don't talk that much, do I? Now I don't know? Can I really not get a boyfriend because of it? Oh no, this is-"

"We're here."

Everyone stopped in their tracks, including Hikari, right at the top of a hill that led to the town.

"We need to find where their base is and stop them." Erza said.

"Hopefully that won't take long." Natsu piped in. "I'm hungry."

"Aye…" Happy said sadly, rubbing his tummy. "I want some fish."

Looking down at the eleven year old, who was also gazing at the down, Erza stepped a little closer, and comfortingly, she spoke.

"There's nothing to be scared of, you know that? Nothing bad is going to happen. The team will protect you…I'll protect you."

Believe it or not, despite the emotionless glare she shot up at the woman, those words actually touched Hikari's heart a little. It was a quick one second feeling that made it tremble a bit and even feel warm, and though it disappeared quickly, a mark was left behind…a little crack in the ice that surrounded the young girl's heart. Those had been the warmest words she had never heard from an adult before. However, she would not let herself fall for it. She knew people could be cruel, and she wasn't about to play into that.

"I know first jobs can be a little nerve wrecking so-"

"Who says I need protecting?" Hikari asked her, cutting the woman off. "You don't even know what I can do. I may not be the strongest wizard in the world, but I know how to fight and hold my own. I don't need protecting from you or anyone here. Please do well to remember that."

And with that, she headed towards the town on her own. Erza wanted to call out, but held back in the end, instead motioned the rest to follow.

"Let's go…"

When they arrived, the streets were bustling and busy with people. Kids were running about, shops were selling, and-

"Fish! Natsu, fish!"

"Yes! I'm starving!"

"Natsu!" shouted Lucy. "This isn't the time to eat! We have a job to do!"

"I can't do the job on an empty stomach!" he said back, handing some jewels to the shop owner.

"Aye, Lucy!" Happy said. "You can have some, too!"

"No thanks…I don't eat raw fish…"

"Where do we look first?" Gray asked.

"I'm not sure." Erza replied. "They're thieves, so I highly doubt they would hide right here in town. To start, let's ask one of the nearby trade guilds. That's where the thieves are targeting. Maybe they will have some knowledge of where they would be. Natsu!"

"But Erza-"

"Thieves! Help! Stop them!"

"Whaaa-" Natsu jumped. "No no no! We paid!"

"Not you idiot!" Gray shouted. "There!"

Down the street, two men busted out of a trade guild building, The Iron Horse.

"Well they didn't take long to find…" Gray said.

Turning quickly, one of them, a hooded figure, faced the guild, and with a quick hand movement, sent a bolt of lightning towards the man screaming for someone to help.

"They're wizards, too!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Follow them!" shouted Erza.

"No!"

Erza stopped in her tracks, looking very confused at the person standing in front of her.

"Hikari?"

"Hikari we have to go after them!" Gray told her. "That's what we're here for!"

Without a word, she turned and watched as the two men ran farther. It was when they were just out of sight did she turn back around.

"Now we run."

"What? Why did you wait?" Lucy asked.

"We want their base, don't we?" Hikari asked in return. "Why defeat them now if we can just follow them to their location, that way, if there is more, we can just defeat them all at once."

"But I wanted to beat the information out of them!" Natsu snapped.

"Or you could save your energy for the real fight." Hikari said back. "You should really start thinking before you do things…"

"Say that again you little-"

"Enough!" Erza said. "She's right. If we keep our presence hidden until their base is located, we can launch a surprise attack. Let's go."

With the plan in mind, they each began running after the two thieves, taking care not to get caught. After some time, they ended up leaving the town in general, coming across a rundown building not too far from it.

"It looks like an old factory." Gray said quietly.

"Doesn't surprise me." Erza replied. "Thieves have a tendency to make their homes in old, abandon buildings. We should make a plan. Gray, you-"

"Forget plans!" Natsu shouted. "I am going to kick some ass now!"

And before anyone could stop him, he sped towards the building.

"Damn that Natsu!" snapped Erza. "He really doesn't think before doing something stupid."

"That's our Natsu." Happy replied.

"You bastards! I'll teach you why should shouldn't steal from other guilds!" Natsu shouted as he neared the building. When he was inches away, a flame grew on one of his wrists and he literally punched in the wall, making a hole right in the building before jumping inside.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted.

The other four had followed and caught up, jumping through the hole as well. When they did, it didn't take them long to realize that they were completely surrounded, men covering almost the whole area.

"Well look at what we have here." One of them said. "Some more wizards have come to stop us."

"More?" another asked. "We beat the last few that came by. Really pathetic they were…"

"And such bad manners, too." A fat one added. "You know, it's impolite to enter someone's home without knocking."

"Yeah, well it's impolite to be stealing what isn't yours!" Natsu shouted. "And Fairy Tail won't let you get away with it!"

"Oh? Fairy Tail?" asked a slender man, his tone sarcastic. "I don't really remember you….your guild must not be that important…"

"What?!" Natsu raged. "I'll kick your ass so hard you'll never forget us!"

"Let's see…there's four of you and a kid and over forty of us…and who will be doing the ass kicking?"

"Why am I never counted?" Happy cried.

"I thought so…" the man continued slyly. "Let's get them!"

All at once, the thieves went at them, and right before their eyes, Fairy Tail magic came to life.

"Gate of the Maiden!" Lucy shouted, bringing out a golden key. "Virgo!"

In a matter of seconds, a female dressed in a maid uniform was summoned.

"Is it time to be punished?" she asked.

"No!" Lucy shouted, slightly frustrated. "Punish them!"

"Ice make…Lance!"

Gray entered next, using his magic to make a handful of ice lances to shoot towards the enemies.

"Heaven's Wheel Armor!"

Erza popped in after, and, using the reequip magic Lucy told her about earlier, she transformed into a whole new set of armor…and definitely a scarier one. Moments after, at least twenty different blades were summoned, all faced towards the thieves.

"Dance my blades!" she shouted, and with that, they spend towards the now running men at the speed of light.

"Don't know Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked, both of his fists now glowing with flames. "As I said, I'll make it so you never forget. Fire Dragon's Iron fist!"

And…during all this, what was Hikari doing?

"Ne….you guys are taking all the fun…"

"At least we're doing something!" Natsu yelled.

"Which means you don't need me, right?" Hikari asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall. She even let out a yawn to show she was bored."It looks like you've got a handle on things."

"You're pissing me off!" he said back. "Lucy! Watch out!"

One of the thieves when to shoot magic at Lucy, but Natsu managed to knock her out of the way, Lucy landing right beside Hikari.

"You might want to watch it. One almost got you there." Hikari told her.

"Hikari!" she said, a little angered. "Why aren't you doing anything?"

"You guys seem to have in under control." She shrugged.

"But you should still help anyways!"

"Why?"

"Because you are part of this guild! Look, I don't know what your problem is and I don't know why you seem not to care, but we're supposed to be a team! The moment you joined, we became friends! We became family, and family always backs each other up! And you might not like us, but regardless of that, we would still protect you and help you anyways. You should do the same!"

Hikari simply raised a brow at these words. That was the second time she heard the whole speech about family. What was with them? Just because she joined didn't mean she was part of some family. That was ridiculous. No one was that accepting so quickly. Looking away from Lucy and back at the fight, she finally got the urge to join, but…

"Oh look…" Hikari stated. "You guys did it."

"No thanks to you!" Natsu shouted. "This was the stupid job you wanted to take in the first place and you didn't even fight."

"Not my fault you took away all my fun, flame boy." She said back.

Natsu was about to yell again, but before he could, another figure dressed in a long red jacket came jumping down from the ceiling.

"Well done, Fairy Tail." He spoke, his dark eyes cast down upon them. "It seems you have beaten my crew…not surprising…they aren't very strong. You will not leave alive, however, for you may have beaten them, but you cannot defeat me!"

"If you're their leader, you're probably just as weak as them!" Natsu shouted.

"You think?" he asked, conjuring some flames in his hands. "You underestimate my power. "

"He's a fire mage." Lucy said.

"That's right, little girl." He replied. "And the greatest fire mage around. My fire is even stronger than yours…Salamander."

"Like hell it is!" Natsu spat. "I'll eat your flames!"

"Fool…" he said back. "You know nothing of my strength. Your flames are nothing compared to the power I have resting in-"

"You know…for someone who is supposedly this great villain, you talk a lot."

The fire mage's gaze shot to Hikari, who was still leaning against the wall.

"The smart move would be less talking, more fighting. You're just killing time."

"Shut it brat!" he snapped. "What do you know about fighting? You're just a little girl."

"Clearly more than you." She replied, walking forward. "For you are still standing there talking. You really mustn't be all that great."

"Hikari! Stay back!" Erza shouted, running in her direction, but before she could get there, she felt a hand grab her shoulder.

"Gray!"

"Wait…" he told her, his eyes furrowed as he watched the little girl. "I can feel it again…that strong magic…"

"People like you are really annoying." Hikari told the man. "You almost seem too worthless to fight."

"Why you-"

"Still waiting…"

"How about I burn off your tongue?" he asked angrily. "That will teach you not to speak to those who can kill you in half a second! But I am not feeling that generous today, so death it is….fire bomb!"

Before anyone could really react, a large ball of fire shot towards Hikari, hitting her head on and making yet another hole in the wall not far behind her.

"Hikari!" Erza shouted.

"Children." The mage said with an evil laugh. "So disrespectful to their elders. This will shut her up for good."

"Hikari!" All four ran over to where she had been standing, all in a panic, but before more could be said, the flames surrounding the area suddenly…disappeared?

"Wait…what's going on…" Lucy asked. "Is she…the flames!"

Right before their eyes, Hikari was sucking the flames into her body, letting out a little burp once she had finished.

"How delicious…"

"What…" Gray asked. "How did you…"

"Ne…and here I thought these guys took all of my fun. Guess I have you to play with…can't let all of this extra energy go to waste after all…"

"She just…ate the flames…like Natsu does…" Lucy stuttered out.

"That must be the power I've been feeling…" Gray said, just as shocked. "She's a…but she can't be…"

"She can't eat the flames!" Natsu whined. "That's my thing!"

"And that's all you are concerned about?" Lucy asked. "And…and look…her body is covered in flames…completely. Is it possible that she's really a…a…"

Erza froze as she watched. She as well could not believe what was going on before her.

"Hikari…" she said softly.

Walking over to a nearby large pipe connected to the wall, Hikari placed both of her hands on top of it before continuing to speak.

"I never understood people like you." She told the fire mage. "Full of talk, but never really as powerful as they say. Such a waste of a fight you'll be…but…since it seems I have to…"

The pipe she had been touching, which was as big as her, then began to melt, bits dripping onto the ground. When it was melted through, she picked it up and swung it over her shoulder casually before locking gazes with the enemy, a smirk on her face.

"Ready to play?"

"What?!" He asked, also full of shock. "You little…I will not lose to a-"

"Too late!" And with that, she ran towards him, quickly swinging the pipe and knocking him down, but she didn't stop there. She kept knocking him around like he was some rag doll.

"Her speed…" Erza said softly. "She's so fast…and her power…"

Eventually, Hikari did throw the pipe down, but only to do her final move.

"This should teach you to mess with the wrong people….Fire Dragon's Roar!"

After taking a deep breath, a massive amount of fire shot out of Hikari's mouth, hitting the other and completely knocking him out.

"That's my move, too!" Natsu shouted.

"Seriously, Natsu…" Lucy asked, rubbing her head.

When she was finished, she stopped and looked around at the fallen thieves, simply coking a brow.

"Wow…you guys seemed just too easy. Might want to think about how weak you are before stealing again…"

"Hikari!"

The other began running in her direction, Happy flying and getting their first.

"Hikari-chan!" Happy shouted, flying towards her. "You're a….ow ow ow ow! Hot!"

Half way there, Happy ended up having to stop, flying right back to Natsu after he did.

"It's too hot to be near her!"

"Too hot?" Gray asked, holding out his hand to the girl. "How is it…ah!"

He pulled his hand back, rubbing it a little. "We can hardly get near you."

"Well duh…" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Can you not see my whole body surrounded by flames?"

"But we've been near Natsu when his flames have been out and it never got that hot." Lucy said back.

"Her flames can't be hotter than mine!" Natsu whined.

"Hikari…" Lucy said softly. "You're…a…dragon slayer?"

The young girl let out a sigh, a little frustrated this conversation was happening now.

"I was really hoping it would be awhile before people saw this, but…whatever. Yes. I'm a dragon slayer."

"But from who?" Natsu asked. "Fire is your element, but Igneel was my Father. He didn't have anyone else."

"Atlas Flame."

Everyone turned and looked towards Erza, who still did not take her sight of the child.

"Atlas Flame?" Gray asked.

"He's another fire dragon." Erza replied. "But what makes him different from Igneel is that his whole body is made of flames, so it almost looks like a skeleton made of fire. Anyone who touches that flame will get severely burned. They say the heat is equivalent to the fires of hell."

Hikari merely smirked at this explanation.

"Clever you are." She told her. "Yes. Atlas Flame is my Father. He taught me everything I know before disappearing. In being his child, you won't be able to come near me with my flames up for they are as hot as his. Oh, I also learned from him that he and Igneel were good friends, and about your existence, Natsu. I'm surprised you didn't really catch on to my magic."

"I thought the smell seemed similar, but I just couldn't place it." He told her. "Atlas Flame…"

Finally letting her flames down, Hikari let out a sigh and turned away.

"Whatever, now you know. I'll be leaving now."

"Wait!" Lucy asked. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the guild." Hikari replied. "Master only said you had to be with me during a job. Doesn't mean I need to walk home with you. I really don't feel like it."

"But-"

"Later."

And with that, she walked out.

"Another dragon slayer…" Lucy said softly. "Another fire one at that. I didn't see that coming."

"Things should really be interesting now." Said Gray. "Wait till the Master finds out."

"But I can still kick her ass!" Natsu spewed. "This doesn't change anything!"

"I would hate to see those two in a fight…" Lucy said meekly. "They would probably set the whole guild on fire…Erza?"

Erza, who was now back in her normal armor, had her eyes glued to where Hikari was previously standing.

"Erza, are you ok?" Lucy asked.

Erza still didn't answer, her mind deep in thought. When she did finally speak…

"Can you guys get home without me?"

"What?" Gray asked.

"Just answer. Can you get home without me?"

Gray simply cocked his eyebrow.

"Why?"

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" _So annoying_ …"

Remembering the way home, and wanting to stay away from the others, Hikari had set off on her own. She was not happy that she had to reveal herself. She was planning on keeping that quiet for as long as she could, but thanks to the Master forcing her to team with others for now, that secret didn't last.

"Atlas…"

She was only three when she had met him. After events she did not wish to remember, he had taken her under his wing, treated her as his own, and trained her, teaching her how to read, write, and even fight at a young age. He was her only family for her real parents had died. When he disappeared though, she was forced to live with her Aunt...and that whole story...

"Yuki…"

Guilt racked at her at the thought of her dearest friend. She knew what she had done was for the good, but…

_"Hikari-chan…you have to leave…"_

_"No! I'm not leaving you behind!"_

_"You have to."_

_"I won't!"_

_"Hikari-chan…they won't hurt me…but they will hurt you."_

_"Who cares! Let them! I'm not leaving you!"_

_"Please…"_

_"Then come with me! I'll take care of you."_

_"I'm sick, Hikari-chan. My body won't handle it. You're strong. You have magic."_

_"But-"_

_"You can't stay…for me…Hikari…."_

_"Yuki-chan…"_

_"Please…"_

_"…I will come back for you. I will come back, and I will save you from your Mother. I will save you from this town….Yuki-chan…I'll…"_

"Hikari!"

The younger girl snapped from her thoughts, stopping in her tracks and turning to the voice behind her, her eyes widening a little when she saw who it was.

"Erza?"

"Hikari…." When the woman had finally caught up, she stopped right beside the child. "Hikari…I'll go back with you."

Hikari peered behind her. Did she really just run all this way to do so?

"Are you stupid?" she asked. "I said I wanted to be on my own."

"I'm walking with you."

"What about the reward?"

"The rest are collecting it and bringing it back."

"And your cart?"

"Gray is taking it."

"Well, regardless, I said-"

"I'm walking with you."

The two were silent for a moment, a dead serious gaze in the woman's eyes. What was she playing at? Hikari wanted to argue it more, but had a feeling that no matter what she said or how fast she ran, Erza would still follow. So instead, she just turned around and continued on.

"Suit yourself. It's a waste of time when you can just be with your friends. I have no interest in talking to you."

"Understood." The woman replied, walking beside her.

"Understood?" Hikari asked herself. She's going to follow anyways? Why isn't she with them? Why does she want to follow me? It doesn't make sense. She knows now that I can handle my own…so why…"

Stopping in her tracks again, she stared up at the other, her normally neutral expression around everyone now hinting a bit of anger.

"What are you playing at? You helped me yesterday, and you were the first to offer to help on the job. Why all the helping? What, do you think all this being nice is going to get me to talk more or something? That with the warmth you get me to feel, I will magically become some happy, friendly person? That I'll want to be around everyone and be friends? Are you seriously that stupid? I may be a child but I am not naive. I have no interest in friends or this family the Master and Lucy spoke about. I'm here to get stronger. I don't need you or anyone and can do things myself, so just quit while you are ahead. Understand?"

"I do." Erza replied.

"Good, then go away."

"I understand what you are saying, but I am still walking back with you."

"What? Why? Why won't you just go away? Why aren't you going back with your friends? Why are you staying?"

She just didn't understand it. Everyone in the past always left her alone, and over time, she preferred it that way. When she left her town, there were people here and there who tried being nice, but she would always cast them away and it would work. Why wasn't it working now?

"Why?"

Reaching out, Erza placed her hand on Hikari's shoulder, gently squeezing it before speaking out two simple words.

"Why not?"

At this, Hikari's heart clenched. Her heart didn't just tremble slightly like it had before around Erza, but shook, a funny little burn now swimming in her chest. What was this? Why…not? There were a millions reason to not be with her, but…Erza clearly was not going anywhere. She was going to stay by Hikari's side. She would not be alone.

She watched as the woman walked ahead of her a bit, still confused as her heart danced around with the little spark in her chest that ignited.

"I don't get it…I just don't…get it…"

Seeing that the child wasn't beside her yet, she turned back to face her, still flashing that comforting smile.

"Oh...another thing…it's good to know I can get you to feel warmth."

Hikari's eyes widened at this, her mind now remembering what had been said.

" _Oh no…I did say those words…didn't I?_ "

"….Baka!"

Embarrassed, a very red faced Hikari ran and caught up with the other shooting her a death glare before walking ahead a bit.

"I don't know what you're talking about! You heard wrong!"

Erza had to giggle at this, which left the little girl blushing even more. She would never just freely admit to that statement. Though she stupidly said it before, she would make sure to not say it again and she would work harder to stay away from her in the future, but…somewhere deep down inside of her…she had a feeling that no matter how much she ran, she'd never escape Erza's warmth. 


	3. Nightmares

" _Worthless rat…"_

_"Such a worthless rat…"_

_"No reason to live…"_

_"No need to live…"_

_"Do you know what we do to rats like you? Tell her brother…"_

_"We kill the rats…chop them up…"_

_"Nice and slow…can you see the blood?"_

_"Are you ready to die?_ "

"No!"

Hikari shot up in her bed, the echo of her own scream still ringing in her ears. Sweat dripped down her face, a chill running through her spine as the old, familiar voices still played through her mind.

" _A dream, Hikari…it was just a dream…_ "

But as always, they felt real.

Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she sat up fully, her breathing still staggered and heavy. For a good year or two, even when she was still living in that place, the dreams had stopped, but about a week after she arrived in Magnolia, they came back, and two weeks later, they still plagued her every night. Some nights, she would just jump awake, but others, like tonight, she would wake up screaming. A full night's rest wasn't even in her schedule anymore.

" _Why are they back…_ " she wondered. What had triggered them? She didn't know. Or perhaps there was no trigger and they always just lingered hidden in her mind.

Standing up, she changed out of her pajamas and into her normal black skirt and thin light blue sweatshirt. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep after that. Instead, she decided to leave for a while, something she usually did when they got real bad. So, after finding her black flats, she slipped them on, grabbing her messenger bag and leaving the apartment. Stepping outside, she stopped to take in the fresh air. It was still a few hours before morning, so until she could go to the guild hall, she'd take a walk and just let herself disappear into the night.

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"I'm so looking forward to this day off."

Lucy sat with her head flopped on the long, bar table.

"So…tired…"

"Well…I can only imagine." Mirajane said back. "How many jobs have you gone on in the last three weeks?"

"Fourteen." The blonde answered with a sigh.

"Fifteen." Gray added. "Fifteen…and all because of that damn little girl."

"Hikari?" Mirajane asked.

Gray nodded his head.

"You know I never complain about doing a job, but this girl just doesn't know when to quit."

"Since Master won't let her go alone, she's always forced to join others." Lucy continued. "And it's always Erza that volunteers to go with her. So, naturally, if she goes, we go, but now, it seems that even Erza wants a break, too. She already mentioned to Hikari about doing so as well."

"That girl is so annoying…" grumbled Natsu, who was sitting at the same table as Gray. "She always gets on my nerves."

"I think he's still mad about the girly hair comment…" Happy told them.

"Natsu…try not to be so hard on her…" Lucy told him.

"Hard on her?" Natsu asked. "Why not?! She's always the one who ends up starting stuff with me!"

"Because I don't think she knows how else to be." Lucy said back. "I don't know much about her…no one does, except that she is a Dragon Slayer. Atlas Flame was her Father, remember? And he disappeared…you remember what it was like to wake up one day with Igneel gone, right?"

Natsu was quiet at this. It was something he remembered well.

"Now realize that she felt that, too. She felt alone…and who knows how long she's been alone after that. Maybe a long time judging how she is with people. That's why Erza is trying so hard to keep her included…so she can realize she is not alone anymore. That's why I'm trying so hard…and you should, too. "

Natsu, who was beginning to get all revved up, eased down quickly, seeing her point. He still wasn't entirely a fan of the younger girl, but he could relate. That feeling he got when he woke up and found Igneel gone…

"Erza is trying her hardest, and so should we." Lucy concluded. "Speaking of…Erza!"

The girl waved the scarlet haired female who had just entered the guild hall over, the woman joining in and take a seat at the bar table as well.

"Good morning, Erza." Mirajane said with a smile. "How are you?"

"All right…" she replied, crossing her arms and leaning on the table. She was usually pretty content in the mornings, but today, she seemed a bit…off, and her friends picked up quickly on this.

"Hey…are you ok?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah…" she said back softly, her eyes furrowed as her mind ran. "Just…something weird has been happening…"

"Weird?" Natsu asked. "What do you mean weird?"

"Well, at least five to six times these last couple of weeks, I've woken up in the middle of the night to someone…screaming."

"Screaming?" Mirajane asked. "Where?"

"From the apartment above me." Erza replied. "The first time was two weeks ago. I thought it was a dream at first, but then it happened again the next night. I ran up and knocked to see if whoever was up there was ok, but got no answer. The next morning, I tried again, but nothing. When I asked the owner about it after, he said he had just seen the person who lives up there and that everything was ok. He doesn't know about any screaming. I tried getting information about the tenant, but he gave me nothing, saying this person requested that nothing be said about who he or she is."

"That is weird…" Lucy told her. "And you've heard more of it since?"

The woman nodded.

"I have, but, according to the owner, this person always ends up being ok. The only thing I can possibly think of that would make someone scream in the middle of the night and still be all right in the morning is a nightmare of some sort."

"Nightmares can be really scary…" Lucy commented.

"I had a really bad nightmare once." Happy piped in. "I dreamt that all the fish in the world was gone…so scary…"

"I don't think that really counts…" Lucy said back.

"Nightmares happen every so often." Mirajane spoke. "But to hear the screams as much as you say you do….when was the last time you heard it?"

Erza's eyes furrowed even more, remembering the panic she felt when the sound had woken her yet again.

"Last night…"

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" _Baka…you shouldn't have dozed off…_ "

After the previous night of nightmarish images, Hikari had wondered off, finding a nearby field and passing the hours away by looking at the stars. Right as the sun began to peek up, she accidently slipped into a light sleep, only waking up a little bit ago. In doing so…

"Hikari-chan!"

Yep. She failed to arrive at the guild early like she usually did, leaving her to face the mass amount of members as soon as she walked in.

" _How are they so happy in the morning?_ " she wondered, watching as Lucy waved her over. She wasn't in much of a mood to sit near them, but when she realized that all of the other tables were taken and that the only spot open was a chair between Erza and Lucy, she ended up not having much of a choice.

" _Whatever_ …" she thought.

Making her way over, she slipped onto the seat, stretching and yawning once she was settled in a bit.

"Good morning, Hikari." She heard from Erza, the child only grumbling in reply.

"Did you sleep well?" Mirajane asked.

"Grand." The girl replied, folding her arms out and resting her head upon them. Her head picked up again, however, when she heard something slide across the table in front of her. Looking, she found a mug sitting a few inches away.

"It's fruit juice." Mirajane told her. "From the fruit grown naturally around here."

"But I didn't ask for any…"

"No, but you should try some anyways!" Lucy said with a smile. "I have some too, and it's really good! I promise!"

Hikari let out a sigh, scolding herself again for falling asleep. She really wasn't in the mood for socializing, but she was stuck with it for now, and, in taking a look at the drink, she figured it really wouldn't do any harm just to try it. So, in deciding to taste it, she reached out, clasping it in her hand and sniffing it before finally taking a sip.

"Oh…"

Hikari had to stop for a moment, letting the taste linger in her mouth. She hadn't tasted anything this good in her whole life and wasted no time in drinking on.

"I'm glad you like it." Mirajane told her.

She would never fully admit it, but yes, she really did like it.

"Have you eaten yet?"

This question came from Erza, the girl keeping her dark eyes focused on her drink and not making any eye contact.

"No, but I'm not hungry right now."

And she really wasn't. With the lack of sleep lately, her appetite was really off.

"Well, since it's your day off, what are your plans?" Lucy asked.

Hikari didn't say anything at first, holding back another grumble. What was this…twenty questions?

"I'm not sure I am actually taking this day off." She finally answered. "Unlike you guys, I actually want to work. I need to. Plus, there's not much for me to do free time wise anyways, so what's the point?"

"What? There are a lot of points to it." Lucy told her. "Days off are good! As much as we like doing jobs, a day to relax is always nice, too. Working all the time isn't always a good thing."

"And Hikari-chan…" said Happy, flying over. "If you don't know what to do today, you can always come fishing with me and Natsu! It's a lot fun and we always catch some really big ones!"

"I was going to work on some of my novel today…" Lucy chimed in. "But you could come over and we could do something instead if you'd like!"

"And I'm doing a few things around town today." Erza told her. "You could come with and I could show you around if you wanted, too."

Listening to all of this, she was actually a little surprised people were offering to do things with her. They seemed happy at the idea of her tagging along. It was something she wasn't used to, and it was nice, but…that's what made it scary. It was too nice. Despite being the way she had been towards them, they still wanted her around. It didn't make sense to the eleven year old, and when things didn't exactly make sense…

"No, I think I will pass." She told them. "I'd rather use my time doing something productive…"

Lucy's, Erza's, and Happy's face dropped a little when the girl refused them all, hoping she would tag along for something fun.

"Well, if you really wanted to go on a job," Lucy said. "You could always partner up with another guild member. I'm sure someone would happily assist you."

Yeah no. Definitely not.

"Oh no, that wouldn't work either." Mirajane told them, Hikari raising an eyebrow. "Hikari-chan won't go on any job unless Erza is with her."

…..

"What!?"

Hikari's face immediately turned beat red.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

Those were words the very worked up Hikari did not want to hear. Why? Well, simply because they were true. Ever since she walked home with her on their first job, Erza and Hikari began to develop an odd…relationship. Erza tended to be motherly towards the child, and Hikari, even after long rants of curses and sarcastic remarks, would allow it to an extent. Like a few jobs back, she got a little roughed up, and though she wanted to take care of and heal on her own, Erza managed to drag her to the guild's little hospital area and bandage her up a bit. Yes, Hikari cursed the whole time, but she allowed it. And every time they were on a job, Erza would get protective. Granted, Hikari would fight without Erza getting in the way, but the woman always checked if she was ok after and didn't stray far from her side.

" _It's that god damn warmth._ " She told herself while she was thinking about it one day. Erza just had this warmth that Hikari couldn't quite pull herself away from, and it drove her nuts. She never made any attachments to adults like that, but this was different…an unspoken emotional tug between the two that Hikari found herself falling into whether she wanted to or not.

" _Oh, and another thing. It's good to know that I can get you to feel warmth…_ "

She never forgot those words either, that specific moment making it even harder for Hikari to ignore those warm feelings. Erza was just always looking out for her, even from the first moment they met on the street. And the woman was always trying to do something to help her too, and for the first time in a very long time, Hikari felt safe. And with that one connection now being formed, she was slowly starting to break down to the rest of the group, too, walking home with them instead of alone when a job was done, or being with them in the guild hall even though she acted like she didn't want to be. She was starting to feel like they were friends, and though that worried the girl greatly, she couldn't help but fall into that as well.

Leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest, Hikari shot Mirajane the death glare.

"Baka…" she said, her face still red. The others, of course, were giggling at this, Hikari doing everything she could to block them out "That is not true and you know it."

Turning away, she grumbled out a few more curses, only to end up stuttering them out half way through however, for when she had turned, Erza's gaze was on her, that familiar warm look in her eyes and a comforting smile accompanying it.

"B…Baka!" she snapped, looking away. "Don't look at me like that! Honestly…you people are so annoying…."

"Hikari!"

Everyone's giggles and whispers came to a stop when a male voice spoke over them all. Looking behind her, she found none other than the Master standing behind her.

"Master?"

"Are you not going to take the day off today?" he asked, standing with his hands behind his back.

Was he going to bug at her for this, too? Why was everyone so keen she take a day off? She didn't need to relax. She was the type that liked to keep busy with jobs and such. Though spending some time with the others did seem tempting deep down somewhere, she didn't have the time for it. She had a promise to keep after all.

"No." she finally replied. "I'm not."

"What do you plan to do, then?"

"I'm not sure yet." She told him. "Something a little more meaningful than just sitting around. I'm not the type to slack off."

"Training, perhaps?"

"Most likely."

"Hmm…Though I agree with the rest in taking the day off, if you wish to train, then I have something for you to try."

"For me?" Hikari asked, now curious. "What is it?"

"Come." He told her as he walked away. "Follow me."

And, with her curiosity fully heightened now, she did so without a second thought, her mind racing at what it could possibly be.

" _Training…_ " she thought. " _Training…I like training_."

And indeed she did. From the moment Atlas took her in, training became her favorite thing to do. She always loved finding ways to get stronger and better as a Dragon Slayer. She never passed over a moment to do so, and with the Master behind this one, there was no doubt this training would be interesting.

"Woah…"

She ended up following the Master far behind the guild, now standing in a small clearing in the middle of a forest. There, in the center of it, was a floating piece of rock about three times her size.

"A spell has been cast upon this." Makarov told her. "A spell that allows you, and only you, to destroy it completely. Anyone here could use every bit of their magic and the rock still would not break unless it was you who did it."

"Only me…" she wondered. This would not be the first time she had broken rocks, doing so quite often during her time with Atlas. This was something she could easily do, so this was training…how?

"Hey, I remember this…"

Turning, she found that, much to her dismay, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Lucy, and Gray had followed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hikari asked, slightly annoyed. "He said this was a training exercise for me, not any of you."

"I remember this…" Natsu said again, ignoring her. "Gramps had me do the same thing when I was about your age. Man, you're going to have a rough time with this one."

"What makes you think that?" Hikari half snapped, cocking and eye brow.

"Well, I had a hard time when I tried it." He replied.

"So? I'm not you."

"I know that!" he barked back. "I was just saying-"

"Did I ask you to say anything?" Hikari asked.

"Baka!"

Hikari then merely shrugged her shoulders, turning her back towards the crew.

" _Thinking I'll have trouble_ …" she thought, staring the object down. " _I may me small, but that doesn't mean I can't do things like this. I'll show them_ …"

With her determination set, she readied herself, and once her entire body was covered in flames, she ran towards the rock at full speed and threw a hard punch, making contact with the object and creating a dent half way through.

" _Yes_ …" she thought with a smirk. _"Now for the finishing move._ " Turning, she ran towards it again, her speed even faster.

"Fire Dragon's….what?"

Half way through the second punch, she stopped, shocked at what she was seeing. All off a sudden, right before her eyes, the deep and wide hole she had made with her first punch began to reform, the rock becoming hole again.

" _No way…_ " she thought, eyes furrowed in confusion. " _How did that even happen?_ " She didn't know, but she wasn't about to stop yet. Running towards it again, her punch hit it dead on, making a hole bigger than before, but right when she was about to throw her second hit, it reformed yet again.

"The rock fixes itself after she hits it." Lucy said. "How is that even possible?"

"What's going on?" Hikari asked, her flames disappearing as frustration hit her. "I thought you said I was the only one who could break this, but every time I hit it, it reverts back to its original form."

"See…" Natsu piped in. "I told you that you'd have issues."

"Shut up!" she snapped, shooting him a death stare. "Before I come over there and-"

"It will only break by you." The Master cut it. "However, you cannot break it the way you have been. If you try to attack it multiple times, it will only fix itself every time. If you wish to break the spell and destroy it, you need to break it in one hit."

"Wait. One….hit?" she asked, her eyes widening slightly.

"Yes." He said back. "You must punch through it, break it in half, otherwise, it will keep putting itself back together."

"But…the power…" Yes, she had broken many rock like structures in the past, but never did she do it in one hit. She wasn't strong enough, her strength being something she was still working on building. "That requires a lot of power, and I don't think I have that much yet. Yeah I can break things, but something that big in one hit…I haven't reached that level yet."

"Perhaps not yet you haven't, but with this exercise, you will." Makarov told her. "You are a Dragon Slayer. That power already resides within you. You just need to bring it out."

"Bring it out?" she asked herself, her eyes locked with the concrete object. She was already pretty destructive as it was when she fought, but to bring out even more of that? She knew for a fact that she didn't have the power to destroy that the way she needed to, so how was the Master so sure she'd suddenly find a way?

"You can do it, Hikari-chan!"

It was Lucy's voice that suddenly broke her thoughts.

"We believe in you! "

"Aye!" Happy added.

"I'm sure if someone like Natsu can do it, so can you." Gray told her.

"What do you mean someone like me?" Natsu raged.

"We believe in you." Erza spoke, Hikari turning to look at her. "I believe in you."

They believed in her? People actually…believed in her? They were being supportive…yet another new thing for the young girl. And though she didn't show it, deep down, she really liked knowing she had support from others for a challenge she wasn't sure she would be able to complete.

"Hikari-chan, you-"

"Leave."

Hikari cut Lucy off mid-sentence. Yes, she did like the support she was getting and appreciated it too, but while doing this, she didn't want anyone to watch. It was something she wanted to do alone. Did part of her want them to stay and support? Yes. Did part of her want them to stick by for comfort reasons? Yes…but, there was something else she had to keep in consideration….her fear of looking weak. There was a possibility she would fail this training, and if she did, there was a chance everyone watching would start thinking she was weak. She hated being seen that way and wouldn't have it. She wanted people to see and know her as strong and that she could handle anything that came her way. She did have her moments when she would find herself being weak, either times where she would cry or times when she was scared, but no one was around to see them, and it would stay that way.

"What?"

"Leave." Hikari repeated.

"But-"

"I said leave!"

The gaze she flashed them told them she was being serious. She didn't want anyone around while she tried this. She wanted to be alone. Completely alone.

"Master."

Facing him, she gave him a bow.

"With all due respect, I wish to be left alone while I train. Please…"

"Hmm…very well. We will leave you be. Work hard, Hikari. That power is in there."

And with that, he took off, the others following suit, but before she was finally by herself…

"Hikari…"

Hikari locked her eyes with the brown orbs of Erza, arms crossed over her chest.

"What…"

"I really do believe in you…" she said softly, her voice and smile encouraging "What Master says is right. You do have that power deep inside; you just have to find it. I know you can. Good luck."

And with that, the woman walked away.

"Damn it!"

Hikari clenched her hands tightly, her chest now flaring. That warmth Erza gave out had touched her yet again and now swam around her heart. Why was that woman so warm to her? Why did it feel like…

" _Forget it!_ " she told herself, shaking her head and snapping back to reality. "[i]Don't think about it. Just focus on what you have to do.[/i]"

Looking back at the rock, that serious, determined look returned to her face. This would be a hard task for her, but, she was the daughter of Atlas Flame. His magic ran through her, and if a deeper power ran within her…

"Then I'll find it. You'll see, I'll show you I can bring it out. I can do this!"

And with that, her training began.

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"Those screams…"

Brown eyes gazed hard at the door in front of her. She had just arrived home from her errands, and, with her mind still tugging at who lived above her, she travelled up the stairs and to that apartment, hoping someone might be home. However, after knocking a few times, she found no one to be there. She always seemed to miss them.

" _Or whoever is in there is just ignoring me._ " She thought. Turning, she leaned back against the wall beside the door, letting out a little sigh. She had to find out who lived there. To be honest, she had no idea why she needed to know. It really wasn't any of her business, and clearly the person who lived there didn't want to be known about, so why should see step in?

" _Because of those screams_ …"

The one she had heard from the night before still rang in her mind, the pure fear that was in that sound shaking her heart. A scream like that meant someone was really scared…that something was truly frightening them, and all from mere dreams. Perhaps it was that small fact there that made her want to find out who they belonged to for she could remember the sound of her own screams when she used to wake up from nightmares of her past. It was a terrible feeling.

" _But you don't even know if this person is even screaming over nightmares…it could be something else…_ "

But what? She didn't know. She couldn't think of any other reason to hear sudden screams in the middle of the night only to find out whoever did it was ok the next day. Something in her gut told her that whoever was living there was suffering from them, and something in her heart pulled her towards wanting to help even when she didn't know who was behind them.

" _I will find out who is there…_ " she told herself, and with her determination being so strong, she would. " _But for now…_ "

Leaving the door, she headed back downstairs. Whether someone was home and not answering or whether no one was there at all, she wasn't going to get anywhere at the moment, so she decided to leave it be for now.

" _Plus…there's something I have to do…_ "

Running back into her own apartment for a moment, she grabbed a small red box from her table. This item had somewhere special to go, and wanting to do it as soon as possible, she turned and left, heading for the guild.

                                                                                                                                                        ✦

"Damn it!"

It had been a good four to five hours since she had started her training. She thought that she would be able to master it by now, but even after all this time…

" _Why can't I break it?_ "

She knew she wasn't the strongest one around, but she did have a good deal of power to her. She was a bit destructive after all and broke many things while on jobs, but for some reason, she could not muster up enough power to break the rock in one hit.

"What am I missing?" she mumbled to herself. "I'm doing everything I can."

She threw every fire dragon attack she knew and then some and put every ounce of power she had in her behind each move, but still, the results were the same, and after using up so much of her magic power during these last hours, she was becoming tired, her energy almost gone, and with no fire around to eat, she would only get worst.

"I don't care…" she said quietly, eyes narrowing with determination. "I don't care…I'll do this damn it…I'll do this!"

Running towards it, she summoned up all of her power again, her flaming fist flying and hitting the rock dead center. The holes she was making were getting much bigger and much deeper, however…

" _It's still not going through_ …" she thought, silently cursing with frustration, watching as the once broken rock reformed itself. She just couldn't do it, and though she wanted to try more, did she even have enough magic or energy left to help her now? She was beyond exhausted thanks to her lack of sleep these last few weeks and from using so much magic already, her breathing hard and her body tired, so stopping now would be the smart thing, but…

" _No…_ " she thought. " _No. I won't leave until I finish_ …"

With flames growing on each hand again, she readied herself for another shot.

" _I will not be considered weak. I will do this, and then I'll-_ "

"Hikari."

Tearing from her thoughts, she turned to find that the Master had finally returned, walking up to her and standing by her side.

"Hikari, you should rest for now." He told her.

The girl was silent at first, eyeing the Master for a moment, but after some time, she simply looked away, gazing back at the rock.

"I don't need to. I'm fine."

"You've used up a lot of your magic already. I've been watching from upstairs. It's best to give it a rest for now."

"But I can still do it!" she said back. "Losing magic or not, I am going to do this until I get it right and-"

"Hikari, I am not asking. As guild Master, this is an order."

Hikari clenched her fists, her anger rising. She wanted very much to argue this fact, and if it was anyone else, she probably would have, but even in being a rebellious one, she knew to always show the Master respect and to listen to him regardless of how she felt, so in the end, she just gave in.

"Just leave it be for now." He told her. "Pick it up another day. It's not a bad thing that you didn't get it yet, so don't think that way."

Hikari said nothing, arms crossed over her chest, an angry look on her face. He may have thought it was not a bad thing, but she sure didn't feel that way. She was mad she couldn't get it right, mad at herself for not having enough power.

"I just don't get it…I just don't get how I couldn't have gotten it. I used everything I had in me, but it still wasn't enough."

"You did try your hardest." Makarov said with a nod. "You really did, however, that was not everything you had you."

"What?" she asked, a little taken aback. "What do you mean? Yes it was!"

"It wasn't." he said back. "You have so much more in you. I know this, but you're holding yourself back."

"Me? Holding myself back? I don't think so. Not when I am putting so much into it."

"Think what you wish." He said, now walking away. "But you'll never achieve that power if you do so."

" _He's crazy_ …" she thought as she watched him leave. " _He's really crazy. How could I be holding myself back? I know for a fact I am putting a lot into this, so there's no way he can say that_."

"And Hikari?"

His voice rang to her once more.

"Your flames are not the only form of light that can fight the darkness. There is much more that surrounds you and that will protect you if only you'd let it. You carry light yourself, so don't fear the other forms that come your way, for it's that light that will help make your own stronger."

And with that, he disappeared.

…..

" _What_?"

Hikari was a little confused at the sudden random statement. Her flames not being the only form of light to fight the darkness? What darkness? And don't fear other forms of light? What the hell did that mean? She wasn't afraid of any light.

"Whatever…" she mumbled. Ignoring the statement for now, she gave one last look to the rock before walking away, still pretty pissed she couldn't get it and that the Master ordered her to stop. She could have gotten it if he had just let her continue. She knew she would have. She just needed a little more time.

" _I will get it_..." she kept telling herself as she walked on, making her way back inside the guild hall. Plopping at the bar table yet again, she flopped her head down and closed her eyes, exhausted. " _I will get it…stupid rock._ "

"Welcome back, Hikari. Have you been training this whole time?"

Hikari, upon hearing the voice, peeked out of one eyes, spotting the white haired woman behind the table.

"What of it?" she asked, clearly quite grumpy.

"That was an awfully long time to train." She told her. "You're really a hard worker. You should be proud!"

Hikari simply snickered at this, closing her eye back up.

"What's there to be proud of?" the girl asked. "I didn't complete the training. He wanted me to break some giant rock in one hit, but I couldn't seem to get it. If I didn't break it the first time, it would just fix itself before I could hit it again…it was really annoying. Can't be proud of something I didn't complete."

"Just because you couldn't do it yet doesn't mean you have nothing to be proud of." Mirajane said back warmly. "You were out there for hours and worked your hardest to get it, yes?"

"Duh…"

"Then be proud of that. Take pride in the fact that you tried and gave it your all. There are many reasons to be proud of yourself."

At this, both of her eyes opened, her still somewhat angry gaze locking with Mirajane's happy one. Could she really be proud in herself for just trying?

"Oh, there you are. I was hoping to find you."

Turning away, she saw Erza enter the hall. Flashing a smile, the scarlet haired woman made her way over, taking a seat right next to the little girl.

"Hey Mirajane, Hikari."

"Welcome back, Erza!" Mirajane replied.

Hikari, on the other hand, hid her face in her arms, half of her happy that Erza was there and the other half still rebelling at the warmth.

"What do you want?" she asked her.

"I wanted you, silly." She said with an amused glance. "Why are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding!" she snapped, her face, of course, still tucked away.

Erza could only giggle at this, but decided not to tease.

"How did the training go?"

Hikari was quiet about this at first. Regardless of what she had just been told, not being able to complete it was still a thorn in her side, and for some reason, she felt embarrassed to admit she failed to the other.

"I don't want to talk about it." She mumbled.

Erza furrowed her brows, slightly worried.

"Did it not go well?"

"She ended up not being able to break the rock." Mirajane told her, Hikari silently cursing the woman for saying that. This is the last time she would say anything to that girl. "She seems kind of off that she couldn't do it, but I was just telling her that there's nothing wrong it not being able to complete it right now, that she should be proud that she tried and worked so hard."

"I hate you right now…" Hikari grumbled to Mirajane.

"Well, she is right…you should be proud."

Hikari said nothing to Erza's words, still keeping her face hidden.

"Not everyone gets things on their first try." Erza continued. "I remember Natsu trying that when he was younger, and he didn't get it on the first day either, and many people around here have struggled with their gifts and training and such, too. It's all part of the learning process. Eventually, the more you try, you will get it, and it will forever come easy to you. I agree with Mirajane. You should be proud that you gave it everything you had. Be proud that you faced it and tried. I know I am proud of you…really proud."

Now this…this is what got little Hikari to peek her head out. Lifting it slowly, she locked gazes with the other, Erza, as always, giving her that same warm look. Hikari's gaze had softened a great deal as well, a little blush on her face from the words she had heard. There was no denying the warmth flaming in her chest either, and instead of fighting it, she just let herself feel it for a bit, her heart curiously exploring this wonderful feeling. Erza was proud of her…really proud of her. No one had even been proud of her in her life. Well, adult wise anyways. Atlas had been proud of her many times in the past, but when it came to people, no one ever was. This was a first, and though she was all jumbled up in her head and heart, she managed to spit out one word…

"Thanks…"

Dropping her gaze, she blushed a bit more. Maybe it wasn't a terrible thing that she couldn't break the rock yet after all. She'd get it eventually, right? She just had to keep trying.

When her gaze had dropped, her eyes fell onto a small, long red box in the woman's hand. Speaking again, she decided to try and change the subject.

"What is that?"

Erza looked down at the box, smiling and giving it a little squeeze.

"It's the reason I was looking for you." She replied. "While I was out today, I picked this up, and I wanted you to have it."

Hikari's eyes widened slightly when she heard this, not entirely sure if she was hearing right.

"For…me?"

"Yes." Erza replied, holding it out to her.

"But…why?"

"Well, why not? I don't need a reason to give you something. I did it because I wanted to."

She…wanted to give her something? Yet another first coming her way. What was this? All this warmth, all this proud talk, and now this giving? It was all hitting her so quickly, and she was falling right into it. Erza actually got a gift for her?

"Go on." The woman said warmly. "Open it."

Gulping a little, she reached out and took the box, holding it in her hands for a moment before finally taking off the top, and when she saw what was on the inside, her eyes grew even wider.

"Here." Erza got up and grabbed the item that was inside. Moving behind the girl, she slipped her hands under the Hikari's brown locks, adjusting the gift a little before finally clipping the ends together.

"There we go. Pretty as a present. What do you think?"

Glancing down, she eyed her newly given gift. It was a necklace, a silver one, with a small heart as a pendant. It was definitely the most beautiful thing she had even seen. Never had she received a gift like this before, and for no reason at all! And now, her heart dancing all over the place at not only this gift giving motion, but from the woman's kindness as well.

"Do you like it?"

Hikari more than liked it, she loved it, and as her finger gently trailed over the heart, her love for it showed in the form of a small, happy smile.

"Oh my…Erza…well done!" Mirajane said. "You did it! You got Hikari-chan to smile!"

While in her moment of bliss, it was this comment that snapped her back to reality, her whole body freezing as her blush greatly deepened.

"Wh-what? Shut up!"

"Thank god." Erza said, her own smile growing. "I was beginning to think I would never be able to see that pretty smile. I'm so happy. You should do that more often. It suits you."

"Baka!" She sniped back, her face almost as red as a tomato. "You're seeing things! I wasn't smiling!"

The two women could only giggle at this, finding the little girl's reaction too adorable.

"What!? I'm not lying!"

The two woman simply giggled a little more, Erza shooting the child a very loving gaze.

"… _Loving_ …"

Ok, it was time to go. Too much warm like feelings at once and the poor child just could not handle it all. So, in a quick motion, she slipped out of the chair and headed right for the door.

"Baka….I'm going to sleep."

"Good night, Hikari!" she heard from Mirajane, the girl just grumbling in return. Erza, whose gaze was still very loving, also spoke.

"Good night, Hikari."

The child froze for a moment, the half second thought of replying actually popping into her mind, but in the end, she decided against it, needing to get out before the warmth killed her for good. So, with a simple wave of her hand, she stepped out and headed back home.

"Aww, you so got her there, Erza."

Mirajane leaned on the table, her face just as happy looking as Erza's.

"I'm glad you did it thought. I was beginning to wonder if she'd ever smile."

"Me, too." Erza said back. "She's always so tense, and she always looks angry. I want to fix that."

"And I think you will." The woman said back. "Look at what you've done tonight, and before this. Though it's slowly, she is starting to warm up to you."

"You really think so?" Erza asked. It would be really wonderful if that was true.

"I do."

Resting her head in the palm of her hand, another thought that had been nagging her slightly came crawling through.

"Mirajane…you don't think it's silly do you? The things that I…I mean…sometimes I see a bit of me in her and…well what I am trying to say is that-"

"Even our great Erza is getting all tongue tied." Mirajane teased.

Erza blushed a little at this.

"Well, it's just…"

"It's ok." The woman told her. "There's nothing wrong with loving on her."

Erza was quiet at first at these words. That's what she had been trying to do…give the girl attention…spoil her a little…reminding her she wasn't alone….giving her bits and pieces of loving…because for a girl who always looked so lonely…

"It's not too fast though?" Erza asked. "I mean, I can't help it. There's just something about her, and from the day we met, I just kind of felt…connected. That little girl is special and I just…I just want to show her that…."

Mirajane smiled warmly at the comments.

"I don't think it is fast at all. Like I had mentioned to Lucy before, connections form that quickly all the time, whether it's between best friends who click instantly, two people falling in love at the first sight, or of a Mother and child bringing happiness to each other. It happens, and something like that is special, so when it does happen, don't let it go."

Erza's worries eased up at this, her smile growing. She was thankful to hear such words.

"Just keep doing what you are doing. Don't ever stop."

And she wouldn't. She felt something special with that child the moment they met, and though Hikari tried to hide it, she enjoyed the attention Erza gave her, and so, she would never stop loving on the child.

"Thanks, Mirajane." Erza told her before finally getting up. "I won't stop, I can promise that. Thank you for listening. I'll be off for now. Good night."

"Anytime." Mirajane said happily. "No thanks needed. See you tomorrow. Good night."

                                                                                                                                                      ✦

" _Ne…what's happening_ …"

A child extremely hopped up on warmth was now walking the streets of Magnolia, her mind and her heart completely distracted thanks to the recent events. The upset feeling she had about failing the training was even gone, Erza's words of being proud and the gift erasing it all.

" _The gift_ …"

She still couldn't believe she had gotten one. She couldn't think of anything she had done to deserve something like this, and every time she tried to think of the smallest thing she might have done, the same words kept popping back into her head.

" _Well, why not? I don't need a reason to give you something. I did it because I wanted to_."

She smiled again, clasping the pendant around her neck gently in her hand, her chest warm with happiness. Someone had given her a gift just because, and it made her feel special. It made her feel like she was important to someone. It made her feel…

" _But I'm never going to hear the end of this from Mirajane…_ "

She grumbled slightly at this thought. Yes, the whole event had made her smile, but Mirajane just had to point it out, leaving her all embarrassed. She could deny it all she wanted, but in truth, she knew she smiled, the happiness being too much for her to hold inside.

"Maybe it's not so bad…" she said softly. "Maybe…maybe Erza is different. She won't hurt me, right? Maybe it's ok to go ahead and get a little bit close to her…and to really make friends with everyone else, too."

The idea sounded wonderful, but could she? Though she liked the thought of it, there was still a part of her that feared it, part of her that worried that things would not work out and she would just end up hurt. Was the risk worth taking? Was it ok to open up a little more?

" _I don't know_ …"

Doubt like thoughts still filled her mind when she arrived home, climbing up the stairs to her apartment. There was a lot to think about. She didn't easily just get close to anyone, but with Ezra, something was different. She felt safe around her, and…

"Oh….you're kidding me right?"

When she arrived at the top of the stairs, she reached into her bag for her keys…well, attempted to anyways. The problem here? She left her bag at the guild.

"Damn it all…" She was in such a rush to leave thanks to the embarrassment that she had left it behind, and now she had no choice but to go back if she wanted to go home.

"Only me…." She mumbled, walking back down the stairs. "Of course I would leave my bag there. Least it's not that far away, I can just run in and-"

When she hit the bottom stair, she froze, shock on her face at what she was seeing. All she intended to do was go get her bag, but when she went back downstairs again, a figure was there, a figure standing at the first floor apartment with a key in the door…a figure she did not expect to see…

"Wait a second…you're joking, right…Erza?"

The woman, who was just as shocked as the child, looked at her with her brows furrowed, confused at the sight.

"Hikari?"

"What are you doing here?" the child asked.

"I live here…on the first floor. What are you doing here?"

"I live here, too." Hikari replied. "Above you. Are you serious? You live here?"

"Yes." Erza replied, turning to face her. "I have for the longest time."

Hikari's heart did a sudden little jump. This was the woman who was sending her endless warmth, the woman that had actually gotten her to smile and made her feel safe…and this whole time, she lived below her?

" _I just never see her I guess_ …" she thought, which made sense. She was always up in the early morning, always trying to get to the guild before anyone else, and must have always come home before Erza or just made it upstairs before being seen.

"Well this is interesting…" she mumbled. While thinking on this, she suddenly realized her hand was still holding the pendant, and in picking this up, she quickly pulled her hand away, blushing a bit. She was still all high off the warmth, and with the source of the warmth now in front of her…

"Well, it's nice to know you're really not too far from me." Erza told her with a smile. "I'm glad you're nearby."

Hikari's blush deepened a bit more, leaving her to quickly turn away.

"Yeah yeah, I'm going to bed. Jeez, when the owner said a wizard lived here, I didn't realize he met you."

Erza giggled at this.

"I really am glad you live here. In knowing that I am here, too, you know that you can come visit any time, right?"

"Why would I want to come visit?!" she asked, putting on her tough act again. "That's crazy talk! Whatever…I need to go get my bag and then I am going to sleep."

The woman simply winked at the girl before unlocking her own door.

"Sleep well, then." She told her. "I'll-"

It was then she stopped, her own words triggering something in her mind. Her smile faded when it slowly started coming together, and when it all did, her eyes widened in shock, her heart clenching.

"Wait a second…you live up there…"

"Um, yeah." She said, turning to face her again. "We just established that."

"But…then…it's been you…"

"It's been me?"

"It's you…"

"It's me what?" Hikari asked, becoming more confused by the second.

Erza's heart clenched a little tighter, it breaking a little at the thought that those piercing sounds…those terror filled moments, were all gone through by…

"At night….you…you're the one I hear screaming…" 


	4. Trust

Brythyll. A small village located not far from Mt. Hirotoma; a quiet place where those who resided there worked together and lived in peace. However, their peaceful times were about to change. Their chief, Heero Miskushi, would be the first to witness this soon to be tragedy.

"Grandfather?"

A young boy of sixteen stood at the foot of the mountain, an elder man standing there as well.

"Grandfather, is something wrong?"

The chief did not move his gaze, keeping it locked onto the mountain before him.

"We must evacuate the village."

The boys' brows furrowed at the words, confusion hitting him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Run back home, wake everyone from their sleep, and have them leave to the nearest city. Do so now."

"But why?"

The chief let out a sigh.

"The demon in the mountain…the one who can destroy all…has awoken."

"What?" the boy asked, eyes widening. "But…no…that's impossible. It can't be true! It's only legend…"

"I felt a stir in the mountains weeks ago and prayed it wasn't true…but it is. His full power has returned and he is coming."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way something like that could happen.

"I don't believe it…that's only a story! There's no such thing! You-"

Before he was able to finish his sentence, the ground, as well as the mountain, began to shake, and it did so for a good minute before finally coming to a stop.

"Gaimeka…" The man said lowly. Looking over at his Grandson, he shot him a sad but serious gaze. "Go. Do as I said. Run with them, and when you arrive at the city, have a request sent out to the nearest guilds."

"But Grandfather, what about you?"

"I will follow soon, but for now, you must warn everyone. Now go…go!"

Although he wanted to stay, he listened, nodding his head and taking off as fast as he could.

                                                                                                                                                                           ✦

A few more weeks had passed since the night she had found out Erza lived below her. At first, though she didn't show it, she thought it was wonderful news. The woman who had given her a gift, who showed her nothing but kindness, who filled her with warmth, was nearby. However, when those words came out…

" _At night…you…you're the one I hear screaming_ …"

That statement had thrown her completely off guard. It never occurred to her that someone could hear her screams, and in finding that out, she panicked and ran, running to the guild, grabbing her bag, and then running off to her spot in the meadow where she was that morning. She returned to her apartment much later that night, locking herself up. Erza, hearing the noise, had tried to follow, but Hikari would not have it and kept her out.

After that, things got a little awkward between them. Hikari shunned the warmth away even more, and Erza worried greatly for the girl. Even Natsu and the gang noticed the changes, though it seemed Erza did not share their little secret. This she was silently thankful for. The fact that she was weak and afraid of her own dreams was already out to the scarlet haired woman. She didn't need the others to know she was weak as well.

With all of that happening, she was hoping the nightmares would end, but because her luck was just so wonderful, they did not. In fact, they got worst, leaving Erza to hear her screaming still from time to time. Now, normally, on really bad nights when she did scream, she would leave the house. However, that had to change, for before Hikari could do so, Erza was already at her door, leaving her trapped. Hikari figured that if she ignored the calls and pleas to come in, the woman would leave, but that did not happen. Instead, Erza would sit herself down and just talk. Sometimes it would be about wanting to comfort her, and other times the conversations were random, but she always just sat and spoke. Whether or not Erza knew the girl was listening was unknown, but she always was. Whenever she began, Hikari would also sit herself down and get lost in the words, comforted by them, but still too scared to let the woman in.

This event would happen every time she awoke screaming, which meant at least five different times in the passing weeks, the fifth time being just last night.

_"Hikari?"_

_The girl stood silently by the door, back pressed against it. As usual, and right on time, Erza stood on the other side._

_"Hikari, are you all right?"_

_Still no answer._

_With a small sigh, the woman took a seat, leaning back against the door as well._

_"They seem to be getting worst you know…the nightmares…you're losing a lot of sleep over this."_

_Hikari slid down to the ground, bringing her knees to her chest and listened in silence._

_"If you don't start getting some decent sleep soon, you might get sick .It will start affecting you on your jobs, too."_

_It already was, something she picked up a few days before. Her reaction times had become slower and her power was beginning to wane slightly. It was unnoticeable to the others if she hid it right though, and she did well to make sure it never got caught._

_"I'm really worried about you. I just want to help. You don't need to go through this alone."_

_She knew this, and though she denied it, she wanted nothing more than to let the other in, to take comfort in the woman's presence. To be honest, she wanted to curl up with her, to snuggle up in her arms and allow herself to feel safe. It was a yearning she hadn't had for years, but it was back. Could she really do something like that though? Yes, Erza had already made many attempts to hug or hold her, but she would always squirm away. This told the child that she could snuggle up if she really wanted to, but she was just too scared…the thought of being held by someone leaving her uneasy._

_"You just need to know that I am here for you…no matter what. You can always come to me."_

_Always?_

- **Crunch** -

Hikari snapped awake, a little dazed when she did so. She had done her normal and left for the guild early, extremely early, for only Mirajane and Lisanna was there when she arrived. She must have passed out though, for when she came to her senses, she found she was still sitting at the table.

"What the…what is that noise?"

Rubbing her eyes, she peeked over the counter, spotting a very interesting and slightly amusing sight before her.

"Ne…why are you eating our cookware?"

And older guy with black, mane like hair looked up at her with a grumpy look on his face.

"Why do you think, twerp?" he asked.

She knew why already, but she couldn't help but be a pain about it. It was Gajeel after all, someone she loved to torment when he was around.

"I know why, but our cookware? You couldn't find iron anywhere else?"

She was actually very surprised to find out that there were other Dragon Slayers here besides herself and Natsu. There was Gajeel, who was the son of Metalicana, the Iron Dragon, and Wendy, a girl about a year older than her, who was the daughter of Grandine, the Sky Dragon. She spoke to them from time to time, Gajeel being the one she liked to tease. Wendy and her pal Carla, who she believed was coming back from a job today, was surprisingly someone she didn't bug or make fun of. Instead, she had a tendency to go stupid around her. She had to really keep her tough act up around that girl because secretly, she found her cute, but that was a whole different story.

"What's it to you what iron I eat?" he asked, standing up. "Can't help it if I am hungry."

"Baka."

"Pipsqueak."

"Well, it's normal to see Hikari-chan here early, but you, too, Gajeel?"

Both Dragon Slayers turned to see Mirajane, along with her sister Lisanna, enter from a back room, walking behind the counter and placing a few things they had in their hands down.

"And really…" Mirajane continued, her face faltering slightly. "The cookware again?"

Gajeel just grumbled, swallowing the last bit he had. Then, from his pocket, he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the eldest white haired female.

"Pantherlily and I are going on a job today. I'll be gone for a few days."

"Very well." She told him with a smile. "Good luck with it then."

"And don't eat any more cookware, iron breath."

"Maggot."

Yep. Their normal exchange of words, and with that out of the way, he hopped over the counter and left the building.

"What's his deal?" Hikari asked. "He's so…weird."

"Weird, maybe." Mirajane said with a giggle. "But he really is a good guy. He's done quite a bit to help the guild. Oh! Speaking of the guild…"

Reaching under the counter, she pulled out what looked to be a little stamp pad and opened it up.

"You've been in Fairy Tail for a little over a month now, yes? Don't you think it's about time you got our symbol on you?"

Hikari just shrugged at this. She had been meaning to have it done, but never really got around to it.

"Well, you're definitely part of this Fairy Tail family." Lisanna told her. "Why not get it now?"

Hikari grumbled in reply to this, flopping her head back onto the table.

"If I say yes, will you stop calling this guild my family?"

"Well we can't stop calling it what it is, Hikari-chan." Mirajane added warmly. "We're family, even if you don't think we are. Now tell me, where do you want it?"

Although still grumbling about the family stuff, she gave in and decided to have to done now, but where would she have it? There were quite a few different places to choose from, but since it was going to be permanent, it'd have to be a place she'd like. So, after some thinking, she rolled up the sleeve on her left arm and flipped it over, her forearm now held out to the other.

"Just put it there and drop this family crap."

"Stubborn as always." She said with an amused glance. "All right then, here you go."

Mirajane then reached out and pressed the small stamp like item onto her arm, and seconds later, the symbol magically appeared, Hikari rubbing her finger over it when it was done.

"Aww, look!" Lisanna pointed out. "It's the same color as Erza's!"

"….Baka!"

The siblings began giggling at this, always amused by the child's reaction when the topic of Erza came about. Hikari's snappiness was her version of being shy, and they couldn't help but find it adorable.

" _Erza_ …"

Hikari's mind shot back to the scarlet haired woman and how she had been trying to help so much, even more so recently. Always telling her she was there when needed, always trying to shower her with hugs and comforting words, but the mere fact that the woman knew how she suffered and could hear her screams put a huge halt on any acceptance of affection coming her way. This was mostly due to the constant "why" questions always brewing in her mind. Why was she trying to help? Why was she always being nice? Why was she always trying to hug and warm her up? And why did these actions suddenly increase more after Erza found out she was behind the screams? Was it a pity act? She hated people pitying on her…so many questions, but she just didn't know. It left her feeling constantly confused.

"Hikari, are you all right?" Mirajane asked.

The girl looked up at the two, her mind still turning. Maybe they knew the answers? Maybe they could help her figure things out? She was really torn. It was the warmth Erza gave her versus the fear of getting hurt and trusting…a fight to let Erza in or keep her out, and though the warmth was strong, she still didn't know what to do and somehow felt that if she could just talk about it, even a little, the answer might come easier. Was it ok to talk about though? Would they find it stupid? She was never good at talking about how she felt, but for some reason, she thought that if she could just voice it, things would somehow start to make sense.

"M…Mirajane? Lisanna?"

The two looked at her with some worry in their gaze, but their smiles were warm and encouraging. The look on Hikari's face told them that there was something nagging at her that she really wanted to say, but was too afraid to say it.

"If there is something bothering you, you can always feel free to talk to us." Lisanna told her. "We may not always have the answers, but I am sure we can help you find them. You can talk to us about anything."

Hikari shuffled in her seat a bit, still a little unsure of it all.

"...Can I though?"

"Of course." Mirajane replied. "Always. If it's something that truly bothers you, you should always try and talk to someone."

The child thought about it a little more, and after a few moments, she decided it wouldn't hurt to get a little help. She just had to figure out where to start.

"W-well…" she began, still somewhat nervous. "I….I…."

"Kyaaaaa!"

Hikari nearly shot out of her seat at the sudden loud entrance. She already knew who it was, and if she wasn't already so tired, she probably would have thrown a chair at his head by now. Wouldn't be the first time…

"Happy! We're going on a job today!"

"Aye, Sir!"

"Lucy! Gray! Let's go already!"

"Will you stop being so loud?" Gray asked, following him in along with the aforementioned blonde. "You're so annoying in the mornings."

"Who asked for your opinion?" Natsu snapped. "I'm hungry and need some money! Not everyone is a lazy ass like you!"

"Lazy? Who are you calling lazy?" he yelled back. "It's not my fault you spend all of your money so quickly. If you-"

"Guys, come on…do you have to be fighting so early?"

Lucy rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn. While the other two were all revved up, she looked like she was still sleeping.

"Well…there goes my chance…" she thought. Perhaps it was for the best. Chatting about what was bothering her wasn't exactly her style anyways and probably would have ended badly. She was actually surprised she had almost done so.

" _Damn warmth_ …" she thought, blaming that for the talk she almost had with white haired siblings. In her mind, her toughness level had a weak moment, a very weak moment, and now, she was almost thankful Natsu came pounding in. She would have to take care not to get weak like that again. She didn't need their help nor did she need figure out whether to let Erza in or not. It was better just to take care of herself. She could fight that warmth, right?

"Hikari…if you wanted to go into another room, we could chat there." Mirajane suggested.

"No thanks." She said back, no longer interested in sharing her thoughts. "It's nothing."

"But-"

"I'm good." Hikari told her, cutting her off.

"Hey, where's Erza?" Natsu asked.

"I'm right here." She replied, now walking in herself. "Seriously, you guys really don't need to be so loud in the mornings."

Seconds after the woman entered, she spotted Hikari, the child in turn folding up her arms and burying her face in them. Yep, even though she would deny it, she was hiding again.

"Hikari…"

The girl was constantly on her mind, worry filling her every second as she wondered if she was doing all right. She knew that her sleeping had been terrible, and no matter how much she tried to comfort her and offer her security, Hikari would just pull away.

" _If I could just get her to feel safe_ …" she said to herself as she watched her. Nightmares, especially ones that kept returning, often stemmed from bad experiences and insecurities. From the way the girl always acted, she knew she must have gone through some sort of battle in life, she just didn't know what, and from day one, she knew Hikari was naturally insecure. Her looks always gave it away. If she could just help ease those insecurities, to help her feel safe, then maybe she could put an end to those nightmares. She thought she was getting so close on really warming the girl up, but as soon as she found out she was behind the screaming, it all started going downhill again.

"Whose turn is it to pick a job anyways?" Lucy asked.

"I picked the last one." Gray answered. "And Erza picked the one before it."

Natsu scratched his head and thought for a moment.

"Let's see…it's…oh yeah!"

Looking around the room, he quickly spotted who he was looking for and walked right up.

"Oi! Hikari! It's your turn to pick a job! Go find one!"

Hikari lifted her head, eye brow cocked at the statement.

"My turn?"

"Yeah." He said back. "Everyone else already picked, so now it's your turn."

"I didn't realize I had a turn…"

"Well you are part of the team." Lucy told her. "And everyone on it gets a chance to pick."

"I'm on the team?"

"Wow…you're really slow on picking these things up." Natsu told her.

"I am not slow!" she snapped. "How was I supposed to know?"

"Well, it's been a little obvious." Mirajane piped in. "You do just end up going with them on every job now."

"That's because Master still won't let me go alone yet."

"True." The woman replied. "But even with the options of accompanying others, you just naturally go with them without a second thought. The whole guild is under the assumption you're part of the team, especially since we all know you won't go anywhere unless Erza is around…"

"Mirajane, I swear I am going to-"

"Just go pick one already,." Natsu cut in, poking the girl in the head. "You're on the team whether you like it or not. So go!"

Again, it was Hikari's tiredness that kept her from punching him in the face, leaving her to only grumble and walk off.

"Yeah yeah…so impatient."

When she arrived at the request board, she let out a yawn, eyes glancing over the papers for anything interesting that caught her eye. A job was a good idea. She needed it.

 _"Ne…I'm on their team? Like an actual member_?"

She knew she tagged along a lot, but she didn't realize she was part of it now or that it was an assumption by everyone else that she was. She just went with them because she had no other choice.

" _Well, they did stop inviting you along at some point…and you started going without being asked. It just became second nature to tag along._ "

In other words, she took a liking to them… and just wouldn't admit it.

" _Team_ …" she thought. She liked the sound of it and liked that she was part of it, but she ignored that happy feeling for now. " _Whatever…now what to choose. Let's see…no…no…definitely not…oh_!"

Reaching out, she plucked a single sheet of paper from the wall.

" _This doesn't seem bad. Not too far…pay is ok_ …"

"Hikari?"

"Hmm?" she replied, still reading over the words.

"Maybe you should sit this one out today.'

This immediately pulled her attention from the paper to the speaker. Turning, she locked an emotionless glare onto another set of brown eyes, curious at the sudden comment.

"Excuse me?"

Erza, with her worried look an all, walked closer, stopping a few inches in front of the girl. The child was over tired and she didn't want her to push herself, fearing the worst if she tagged along and the lack of sleep got to her.

"You're tired. It might be safer if you stay."

Hikari merely raised her brow at this.

"I'll be just fine tagging along. I need the money."

"I'll split whatever share I get with you that way you can rest."

"I don't accept charity."

That last statement came out snappier than she intended, tension now filling the room. Even the gang was confused at what was going on as Erza never tried stopping her from coming before.

"Hikari…"

"I'm going. I can hold my own just fine."

"But you're really exhausted. I can see it. I'd feel safer if you stayed."

"Well, it's not about how you feel, is it?"

"Please…"

"No. I don't have to listen to you."

"Hikari-"

"You're not my Mother."

"But I'm the next best thing."

Silence now completely filled the room, all eyes on the two females. Erza really didn't want the other tagging along in fear her exhaustion would get the best of her, but it seemed that no matter what was said, the child would not give in. Maybe she was just over worrying herself? Maybe her motherly instincts were getting the best of her….but, that wasn't a bad thing right? Usually, motherly instincts were right on, however…

"Stay by me, and don't stray too far. Don't just randomly run off into a fight either like you usually do. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Nothing bad is going to happen to me." Hikari told her, now holding the paper out. It was Lucy who took it. "You're worrying about nothing."

"I'm worrying about you."

"Well don't waste your time."

A little worried about why the two were suddenly acting that way, Lucy tried changing the subject a bit by reading the job out loud.

"It's in Onibus." She told them. "So only a train ride away. The problem is way out past the forest. There are farming areas there. Lately, they have been having trouble with a Vulcan that resides nearby. Apparently, it likes to steal the livestock they use to live and sell to the town. It's hurting their business, and they fear that if they try to stop it themselves, it will hurt them."

"Vulcan…" Natsu said. "We can handle that."

"Job sounds good to me." Gray added.

"Good. Then it's the one we will be doing. I'll be waiting outside."

After shooting one last glare at Erza, she turned and headed out, but right before she exited…

"And Gray?" she said, turning to face him. "Put some clothes on, will you? Pervert."

And with that, she left.

…..

"I'm not a pervert!"

After the unexpected verbal exchange, the group, including Mirajane and Lisanna, eyed the woman with worry. Observation told them that Erza was always doting a little bit of affection here and there to the young girl, and that Hikari, despite her efforts to hide it, enjoyed it and allowed it to an extent, but lately, things had been changing. Hikari seemed to have backed off quite a bit while Erza's worry grew. Something had happened…something the crew did not yet know.

"Um…Erza…is everything ok?" Lucy asked.

Erza eyed the door the girl walked out of, a hint of sadness in her gaze. She wanted to run after her, but feared she would only make things worse.

"Erza?"

"I just have a bad feeling." she said softly. "Look at her…she's exhausted. She's been that way for a while now…"

"I've noticed that, too." Mirajane mentioned. "Whenever she comes in early, she will sometimes pass out right at the table."

"She actually just did that this morning." Lisanna added.

"Well, she has been looking tired lately, but everyone has their tired days, right?" Lucy asked.

"I wouldn't worry about her." Natsu told them. "She'll be fine on the job. She's a Dragon Slayer, and she's tough. Everyone has seen her fight. You all know she can hold her own."

"Dragon Slayer or not, she is still a child." Erza said back. "And yes, people do have their tired days, but this is different."

"How so?" Gray asked.

Erza crossed her arms over her chest, brows furrowing slightly. She had kept this a secret for Hikari's sake, but with things not getting better…

"You see…"

                                                                                                                                                                   ✦

"Baka."

Hikari, who had made her way outside, was now leaning back against Erza's cart, arms crossed over her chest.

"Who the hell does she think she is telling me I can't go on a job? Who cares if I am a little tired?"

Well, more like extremely exhausted, and she knew this. She was a lot more tired than she let on and Erza seemed to see right through it. Her body felt weak, her head was killing her, and her thoughts felt a little unfocused, but regardless of the signs stating that rest was mandatory, she was going along anyways. She wouldn't let anyone view her as weak.

"Hikari?"

The child looked up to find a little blue cat hovering in front of her.

"Happy? " She said lowly. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Natsu?"

"Hikari…" he asked, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Are you ok?"

The girl stared at the other for a moment, not expecting that question, before finally looking away, letting out a sigh as she did.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Erza thinks something is wrong. She says you look tired. Are you?"

Hikari simply shrugged.

"Yeah…just a little. It's not a big deal."

Happy thought for a moment, his little face perking up when an idea came to his head.

"I know! Eat some fish before you go to bed! I always do and it helps me get a good night's sleep!"

Now, this was yet another thing she was not expecting, and, despite how she was feeling, this actually got her to smile a little. It obviously wasn't that simple, but she found it adorable that he was trying. Reaching out, she gently scratched the top of his head.

"I will make sure to remember that. Thank you, Happy."

"Aye!" he said happily.

Hikari then pulled her hand back, her arms crossing over her chest again.

"Ne….Happy, do people really think I am part of your team?"

"Aye! You're always coming on jobs with us and work well with everyone, too! Did you not want to be on the team?"

"No…I didn't say that…I guess I just didn't really pick up on it is all. Speaking of them, where the hell are they?"

"There were talking about something before I flew off, but I didn't hear what."

"Well, they should hurry up. We got a job to do and I want to hurry up and get it started…damn slowpokes."

                                                                                                                                                             ✦

"What!?"

The whole group listened carefully when Erza fed them the news and was shocked at what they heard.

"Are you serious?" Lucy asked. "Her?"

Erza nodded, the group then quiet for a moment as they took in what they heard.

"I mean, I knew Hikari lived nearby," the blonde continued. "but I never would have thought that she was the one right above you, and that the screaming you have been hearing…"

"So when you say she is tired, it's more than just your normal sleepiness…" Mirajane said.

"Yes." Erza said back. "Tired is just an understatement. She is completely exhausted, and with how many times this girl has woken up screaming these past few weeks…I'm really worried about her."

"Have you tried talking to her about it?" Lisanna asked.

"Always, but she won't tell me anything. "she replied. "She was just starting to come around me more and was even starting to look a little happier, but ever since she found out I could hear her screams, she's pulled back."

"I was wondering what that sudden change in her was all about." Mirajane said. "I don't think she wants to pull away from you, though. I think she wants to come to you, but just doesn't know how."

"I don't know…" Erza replied. "Her actions are telling me otherwise. Maybe I can't really warm her up like I thought I could."

"Her actions may be saying one thing, but the truth is not it." Mirajane told her. "You don't always see the looks she gives you. I've seen you try to hug her and talk with her and such, and though her look might seem annoyed or angry, it changes when you turn away. I see something else."

"What's that?" Erza asked.

"Want." The woman replied. "I see want. There's confusion and sadness mixed in there, but definitely a lot of want. I don't think she likes telling you to go away, ignoring you, or doing anything that makes you leave, but she just doesn't know how to act or what to say or do in a situation where you're just trying to be affectionate. You are warming her up, Erza, otherwise those looks wouldn't exist. And remember, you made her smile, too. Please don't give up…she does want you, she just needs to find enough courage in her to finally say it."

Erza's gaze softened a bit, a small smile growing on her face.

"Giving up was something I was never planning." She said softly, and she meant it. If Erza was what she really wanted, then she would always be right there. She would do her best to not let the other think she was alone.

"Neither of us will give up!" Lucy added. "We want to show her she is part of this family, right? We'll do what we can to help her and to help you."

"Thank you, Lucy." Erza said back.

"If only she wasn't so stubborn…" Natsu mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"Like you're one to talk." Commented Gray.

"Shut up!" he yelled back. "Anyways, should we still let her come then? I still think she can hold her own and that she'll be fine."

"We might as well." Erza answered. "I already told her yes. We'll just have to keep a close eye on her."

"Fine, then let's go already! I wanna kick some ass! Are you ready Happy! Wait…Happy?"

"I saw him fly outside after Hikari left." Mirajane told him.

"Happy!" he shouted seconds after, bursting from the hall.

"So annoying…" mumbled Gray.

"Come on." Erza told them. "This job shouldn't take too too long. If we get it done quickly enough, she'll have more time to rest."

"Good luck!" Mirajane told them.

And with that, the gang headed out the door.

                                                                                                                                                                ✦

The train ride to Onibus was uneventful. Everyone was kind of quiet while Natsu did his normal thing and died in the seat. Hikari still couldn't believe transportation was his weakness…of all things…

"Wimp…"

While the rest sat together, she decided to sit on her own, curling up by the window and watching the scenery as it passed by. At some point, she started dozing off, the movement of the train lulling her. She didn't want to fall asleep, but she was having some trouble fighting it. It was the sudden arrival or Erza that snapped her awake a little.

" _Great_ …" she thought. Was she getting another lecture?

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine."

"It looked like you were falling asleep."

"I wasn't."

She kept her eyes glued outside, curling up a little more as if she were trying to get as far away as possible. She was hoping the ignoring thing would prompt Erza to leave, but, as usual, it didn't happen that way. Instead, something a little more unexpected happened, for before she knew it…

"Oomph! What the-"

"Shh…"

"But Erza-"

"Shhh."

Hikari's body froze. One minute, she was sitting by the window, and the next, with one quick, swift movement, Erza had pulled her down, her head now resting in her lap. Soon after, she could feel the woman's hand running through her hair as well. For someone who hated being held, one would think she would have pushed back almost instantly; however, something caused her body to freeze up. Despite being tense, she stayed, and the reason why…

" _It's so warm_ …"

There it was again, that warmth she had worked so hard to keep at bay was flaring right up in her chest, weakening her ability to toughen up and pull away. She liked how it felt to be curled up like that for it was something she had wanted for a long time. It was comfortable and warm, and, despite feeling a little awkward, nervous, and shy, she felt safe. It was a peaceful feeling.

"Sleep…"

Hikari peeked up at the other when she spoke.

"You can fall asleep. It didn't look very comfortable the way you were dozing off before. You might sleep better this way. I don't mind it at all. At least you'd get a little nap in before the job."

Hikari lifted her arm and instinctively hid her face. That inner warmth Erza was getting her to feel was hitting her hard and she was falling into it fast.

"Erza…"

"Shhh…just sleep." She said comfortingly. "I'll be right here. You're safe, Hikari."

Her heart clenched when she heard these words. Everything in her was telling her to go for it, to just lay there and have her moment to rest curled up with the one person who she felt truly safe with. It was comfortable, and she felt so warm…

"No!"

Before she could get lost in the warmth anymore, she pushed herself up and pulled away, curling back up by the window. She couldn't do it. She couldn't let herself get that close to people. She had to stay focused and not get caught up in whatever happiness and warmth being sent to her. She had only joined Fairy Tail for one reason and one reason only.

" _Yuki_ …"

She had to get stronger. She just had to, and all of this affection…the warmth from Erza, the friendship from the guild, everything, was only weakening her, leaving her vulnerable. She couldn't afford getting attached. She couldn't risk it when she had someone else she needed to protect.

"Wait-"

"No….just no…"

Hikari remained firm with her decision, staying where she was, and without another word, she closed up, turning away.

"Hikari…" Erza said softly, sadness in her own eyes. She was close…so so close…

The rest of the train ride continued in silence, Hikari paying no more mind to the woman who remained by her side. When the train eventually came to a stop, she hopped right off, staying away from the others as they headed to their destination. During the walk, she couldn't get her mind off of what happened between her and Erza. She had wanted so badly to stay curled up and sleep, her heart aching for that mother like affection, but her mind kept telling her no…it kept telling her the bad things of getting attached that way.

" _Mother_ …"

Recently, that's the word that came to her mind when she thought of Erza. Always wanting to take care of her, the constant attempts at affection…it was all motherly actions and regardless of wanting it, she was just too scared to let her in.

"We're here."

These words broke the child from her thoughts, peering out at the few farmlands in front of her. They then wasted no time in traveling to one of these farms, Erza being the first to speak to an elder man that lived in one of them.

"He took one of our sheep this morning." He told them. "One I was planning on selling."

"How long has this been happening?" Gray asked.

"For the last two weeks or so."

"Do you know which way he went?" Erza questioned.

The old man shook his head.

"I remember hearing him, but by the time I ran out, he was already gone. When I do see him, he is usually coming out of that forest way down there."

Hikari, who was hanging around in the back listening, turned her attention way past the other farms and fields to the forest on the other end.

"It's a big forest. "The old man continued. "It might take you a long time to find him."

"Not with this nose." Piped in Natsu. "We'll find him in no time."

That was true. With not only Natsu's, but Hikari's strong sense of smell as well, they'd be able to find this Vulcan quickly, and in thinking that, the girl already began sniffing the air, finding a very odd scent in almost no time.

" _Hmm….I wonder_ …"

Without a second thought, she started walking away, wanting to stay on the trail of it. It probably would have been a smart thing to tell the others, but she decided not to. She'd show them she could do this. She'd show them all tiredness would not get in her way.

"Well, we should start searching then." Erza said. "Natsu, do you think you can find him?"

"Definitely!" Natsu said. "They usually carry a bad stench and I am already onto it…unless that's Gray…"

"Baka!" The ice user shouted.

"Do you guys really think you can defeat him?" the old man asked. "He's really hurting our business. We can't afford to lose anymore."

"Of course we can." Lucy told him with a smile. "This Fairy Tail team can do anything."

"Even that little girl who just ran off a little bit ago?"

"What?" the blond asked, every member now turning to where Hikari was standing only to find that indeed, she was gone.

"Hikari! Where did she go?" Erza panicked.

"She ran off towards the woods not too long ago." The old man replied.

"And you didn't tell us?" Erza asked.

"She's got a strong sense of smell like Natsu." Lucy said. "She probably caught the scent and ran after it."

"Since when does she leave with us?" Gray asked.

"Who cares about that?" Erza stated. "We have to find her."

"Already have her scent." Natsu told them. "Let's go!"

The group then ran off in search for the child.

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At one point, her walk broke into a run, keeping the pace up until she was in the forest. When she arrived, she sniffed the air again, the scent now much stronger.

" _Gross_." She thought. " _They smell terrible_."

Keeping as quiet as she could, she started her search, following her nose in hopes of finding the Vulcan.

" _They're probably going to be a little pissed at you_." She thought as she looked around. It really wasn't the greatest idea to go off on her own, but she didn't care at this point. Yes, her strength was a little off and her head still killed from exhaustion, but she had this. She would show them, especially Erza, that there was nothing to worry about.

"Sheep!"

Hikari immediately stopped when she heard a voice followed by a very strange laugh.

"Farmers have such good sheep!'

Peeking over a nearby tree, she spotted a very large, monkey like creature. His fur was an off white color and he was looking at the sheep as if he were ready to eat it.

"So delicious, and you always taste so much better when eaten raw. Bye bye sheep!"

" _Ew_ …" she thought while watching. She had read about these creatures before but never actually saw one till now. Much bigger than she imagined, but she had this. " _Yeah…he's got to go. Time to have myself a little fun_."

And with that, her hands lit up in flames and she dashed toward the other, the Vulcan turning just in time to see her jump up and land a nice hard punch right on his face, knocking him over, causing him to drop the sheep as well. When he finally sat back up and realized his food was gone, he was not very happy.

"My sheep! Where did my sheep go?! You scared my sheep away!"

"Yeah, you did that all yourself you creep." She replied.

He got even angrier at this comment and swiped the girl up, holding her tightly in his hand.

"Well, if I can't eat my sheep, then I am going to have to eat you!"

"That won't work well for you." She told him, flames now surrounding the entirety of her body. Seconds after that happened…

"Ow ow ow!" he barked, dropping the child and holding his now smoking hand. "Hot! Too hot!"

"I'm not the Daughter of Atlas Flame for nothing." She told him. "That's what you get for stealing and messing with the farmers, and I am far from done. I'm going to have some fun with you. Fire Dragon's Flame Burst!"

Taking the image of what looked to be a fire ball, she shot towards the creature, hitting him directly in the stomach. Then in midair, she flipped, kicking him in the back of the head and to the ground.

"Fire Dragon's Flame kick!"

He hit the ground hard, scorch marks on his body from her hits.

"You're almost too easy. Guess you shouldn't be going around and doing what you do if you can't truly defend yourself."

Continuing on, she landed more hits and kicks on his body. He would rage every so often and try to swipe, but she was too fast, always out running his fists.

"Little bit on the slow side, aren't you?" she asked with a smirk, dodging another as it came her way. "You really are pretty pathetic. Oops! Too slow again!"

"Why you-"

But he didn't get to finish his sentence, cut off after Hikari threw another set of hits his way, knocking him over once more. He tried getting back up, but struggled to do so.

"Aww, having issues? Here, let me help by finishing you off."

She definitely had this now. Yes, he was pretty strong, but she had no issues, still retaining her strength despite her body feeling off. It was all about the right determination. If she wanted to do something, she would get it done despite what others thought, and now, all she had to do was finish the fight, inhaling a deep breath with the intention of doing so.

"Fire Dragon's R-"

She went to let out her breath attack, but right before she could, something strange happened. A huge dizzy spell came over her and her eyes lost focus, the world spinning for a moment. Her body also started to feel strange, her stomach suddenly feeling a bit sick from the dizziness.

"What the-"

"Too slow!"

The Vulcan took this moment to gain the upper hand, swiping his hand and knocking Hikari hard, sending her flying right into a tree.

"Hikari!"

At this point, the crew had caught up, catching the moment right when Hikari was knocked from the ground.

"Not so tough now, are you?" the Vulcan asked angrily. "You're the pathetic one you stupid little girl! Like you could finish off someone like me…I'll be the one finishing you off!"

And before anyone could react, his foot raised and came down on the little girl, leaving a hole in the ground.

"Hikari!" Erza was far past panicked.

"Ouch…" she thought, trying to get up when he removed his foot. She had to get out of there before he struck again, but her body now felt too weak. "That's gonna leave a mark…this probably isn't good."

"Still alive?" he asked. "Stupid girl! You won't be when I do it again!"

She looked up just as the foot was coming down. Did she have enough strength to stop it? Probably not… she barely had strength to get up. Her body was giving up on her, but she had to try. So, pushing herself up more, she readied herself to stop it, however, before she could, she was pulled out of the little hole.

"Gray?" she asked, shocked to see him. He said nothing, only cradling her until they were out of harm's way. When he was near Lucy, she placed the girl down.

"You damn bastard." She could hear Erza yell. "Morning star….Photon Slicer!"

"Can you stand?" Hikari was a bit dazed and confused at everything that was happening so quickly, and though hurting a bit from her injuries, she was able to stand on her own.

"I'm fine. We should-"

"Lucy, take her out of here." He said.

"But-"

"Got it." The blond replied, and before Hikari could protest, Lucy had her by the hand and pulled her away, running far from the fight that was now taking place. It wasn't until they reached a clearing in the woods did they finally come to a stop, the sounds of the battle still going on in the background as the two flopped on the ground out of breath.

"Well…that was interesting."

These were the first words out of the eleven year old when the two had finally settled down. Though her entire body hurt, her headache was now much stronger, she still felt a little dizzy, and she was covered in cuts, she was fine. The only thing that really took a beating more than her body was probably her pride, but hey, it happened, right?

"Wasn't expecting it to go that way, but you win some, you lose some. Guess I was more tired than I thought."

"You think?" asked a not so happy Lucy.

"Whatever, it was still fun while it lasted. I almost want to go back and have a few more whacks at him."

"You're not going anywhere." She snapped.

"Well duh." Hikari said back. "Jeeze, I was just kidding."

"What, you think this is funny?" she asked. "You were almost killed!"

"Almost, but not quite."

"Hikari!"

"What?" she asked, cocking an eye brow. "Look, I'm not dead. I'm right here, so calm down. Seriously, you're getting annoying."

"Calm down?" she asked, getting angrier by the second. "You're telling me to calm down after you ran off without a word to fight some creature five times your size and in a condition where fighting wasn't your best option? We were worried about you!"

"Not my fault you worried." She said back as she stood up, slightly wincing in pain as she did so. "I tell you guys not to worry but you do it anyways. And condition? I was a little tired, so what? Yeah, I'll admit, it kinda was the reason my fight didn't go so well in the end, but so what, it happens. Point is I'm fine."

"That's not the point. You stupidly put yourself in a situation where your life was on the line. You should have stayed behind like Erza said, or at least stayed with us."

"My life goes on the line every time I go on a job." Hikari retorted back. "So I messed up this fight, big deal. I can still handle my own. You've seen me take down creatures bigger than that damn thing."

"I have, but during the time period when you were sleeping more. With all these nightmares getting worst, you've hardly gotten any sleep at all."

Hikari froze when she heard these words, her eyes narrowing as she locked gazes with the other.

"How do you know about that?"

Lucy was silent, staring hard at the girl.

"What did she tell you?"

There was only one person who knew about it, and she was hoping and actually thought that secret was safe, but…

"I said what did she tell you!"

Still no answer. Instead, they heard what sounded like a small explosion, the two turning to see some flames shooting in the sky. Yep, definitely a Natsu move, which meant that the battle was probably near done if not already completely finished. Turning away now, she clenched her fists, her anger rising in knowing that the others knew about her nightmares. And here she thought her secret was kept. How could Erza tell them like that?

"Look, it's not like she just went around and told everyone." Lucy suddenly said. "She only told us this morning."

Hikari said nothing, her anger still rising.

"She was really worried about you, and after the little spat you two had this morning, we all became worried because you two are usually fine together. She said she's been trying to help you, but you won't let her. She only told us because cares and was hoping we could help, too."

"I didn't ask for her help nor did I ask for yours." Hikari told her. "I don't want it and I don't need it."

"You say that, but I know that's not how you feel. "

"What do you know? You don't know what goes on in my mind."

"That's because you are too stubborn to let anyone in. And I don't have to know what's on your mind to know how you feel. I can see it. Everyone can. You try and hide it, but you like being around everyone in the guild. And Erza, especially with her, we see a change in you. She told us about the necklace, and about how you smiled."

"Shut up."

"You know you like it when people care about you. You like the feeling of knowing you are not truly alone. You may act stubborn and try to give off that you hate it, but we know it's a lie. You know it's a-"

"I said shut up!"

"Hikari! Lucy!"

Before that argument could continue, the group returned, running back to the two as fast as they could. Erza didn't stop until she was inches away from the child, and just from the glance, Hikari knew she wasn't a very happy person.

"I told you to stay nearby…"

"I know that. Didn't mean I had to listen."

"You should have! You were almost killed!"

"But I wasn't!"

"That's because we got there before you were!" Erza snapped. "We saved your life! You should have stayed with us! Did you really think you could handle that on your own, especially being as tired as you are? Look, you're really hurt!"

"So I failed this fight, who cares? People don't always win them, and this isn't the first time I have gotten hurt on a job either. And so what if I am tired, people fight tired all the time, too."

"They don't if they are as tired as you."

"So you think."

"It was stupid of you to run off on your own."

"And it was stupid of me to think that you wouldn't tell them about the nightmares."

This shut up the woman quickly, Hikari's anger at boiling point.

"What, did you tell them about the screams, too?"

She still said nothing, and though she felt a little bad for leaking it out, she had no regrets in doing so.

"I really didn't want you going out on this job because I was scared something like this would happen. On any normal day, you could handle a creature like that on your own. I've seen it, but during these past couple of weeks, I've seen a change, even when you tried to hide it. I've watched you train and not be on par like you usually are, and I knew your nights weren't getting better because there were times I could still hear you. I really wanted you to stay behind, but seeing as you wouldn't, yes, I did tell them because I wanted them to help watch over you, too."

"I don't need anyone watching over me. I can take care of myself."

"Clearly you can't. All we want to do is help you and-"

"I never asked for your help!" Hikari yelled. "You just assumed I wanted it! Whatever Lucy said or whatever anyone says about me really "wanting" the help or "liking" whatever attention I get or "liking" how you supposedly care about me is a lie! I hate it! I hate it when you're nearby! You're nothing but annoying! And now look! You've told them something that wasn't even any of their business to know. It wasn't even your business to know!"

"It is my business…"

"It's not! You-"

"It is!"

In one quick movement, she pinned the girl against a tree, Hikari's eyes widening slightly at the sudden gesture. Looking up at the other, she saw something she wasn't expecting, something that actually shocked and broke her heart a little.

"Baka…" A very teary eyed Erza looked down at the other, her hands squeezing the girl's shoulders tightly.

" _Erza's…crying?_ " the girl thought. " _But…but_ …"

"It is my business." Erza continued. "Supposedly care? What do you mean supposedly care? I care about you a lot…a lot more than you think. Whenever I hear your screams, my heart breaks and I want to do nothing but hold you and make you feel safe. I know what it's like to have nightmares all the time, and what it's like to have no one around to help them go away. I had to fight for a long time to make them stop…I don't' want you to have to do that…I don't want you to have to go through that by yourself."

 _"She's had nightmares, too?"_ Hikari asked herself, turning her gaze away. She didn't think Erza was the type of person to get those because she was always so strong. Nightmares and being scared of them like her was only for weak people.

"Look at me…I said look at me!"

Hikari brought her gaze back up, those teary eyes still staring her down.

"I care about you, Hikari…I really do. That's not a lie. I want to make you feel safe…I want to help make those nightmares disappear if only you'd let me. You need to know that you don't have to go through this alone. I'm the one that hears those screams, and I'm the one who stays by your door and talks to you every time you do, reminding you that I am always right there…always….so don't tell me it's none of my business."

And with that, the woman finally pulled back, wiping away some of her tears.

" _She cares….she…cares…_ "

These were the words that were ringing through the child's mind right now, a slew of different emotions surrounding her heart.

" _She cares…and really wants to help…but look, you hurt her. You made her cry_ …"

Guilt now racked her heart along with everything else she was feeling, confusion being at the top of her list. She had come to Fairy Tail with zero intentions of letting anyone in, and in a little over a month that had changed. She wanted to call her guild mates friends, she wanted the affection Erza was giving her, and wanted the other to help her feel safe. She wanted so much, but fear kept her from grabbing it. No adult had ever wanted to do that before, so why now? She didn't get it. She also had that other person to think about, too. She had to stay strong for that person, but whenever she was around the others, she didn't feel strong. She felt weak and vulnerable because she was slowly giving in to all the friendships and affection, and now, she was just lost. Take the help, or leave it? Let her in, keep her out? Make the friends, stay alone? Fight her fears or live in them? She didn't know what to do, and in not knowing, she did the only thing she could think of…and ran.

"Hikari!"

"Let her go."

It was Gray who stopped the scarlet haired woman.

"The danger is gone, and she knows the way home, so just let her be."

Erza, wiping away a few more tears, just nodded.

"Hikari…" Happy said sadly.

"I'm sorry…" Lucy said. "I wasn't trying to rat you out. She was being really argumentative and it just slipped and-"

"I'm not blaming you, Lucy." She said softly. "There is no blame here."

Though the blond nodded in reply, she still felt guilty.

"Do you really think she is running home?" Lucy asked.

"She doesn't have anywhere else to go." Gray replied.

"But she's upset." Lucy said back. "Who knows where she might go whether she is familiar with the place or not."

"She'll go home." Natsu said, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes on the area where Hikari took off.

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked.

Natsu turned to her at this, flashing the blond a smile.

"I'm sure. She'll return home. And when we see her, we'll all just keep helping her, right?"

Lucy's gaze lit up a little, a smile growing across her face.

"Yes, we'll help. Always."

                                                                                                                                                          ✦

The entire trip home, train ride an all, was nothing but a blur for the young Dragon Slayer, her emotions on the run and her mind still trapped in the previous events. By the time she took a real awareness of her surroundings, she was already in front of the guild. Just looking at it made her chest tighten with even more sadness, that pain much worse than the physical pain she was also feeling. All she could think about when staring at the building was how it was slowly becoming her home, how she was beginning to make friends with others, and how she was slowly starting to really get close to that one person…

" _It is my business! Supposedly care? What do you mean supposedly care? I care about you a lot…a lot more than you think. Whenever I hear your screams, my heart breaks and I want to do nothing but hold you and make you feel safe."_

She was cared for…despite her stubbornness and everything else she found wrong with herself, she was really cared for.

" _I'm the one that hears those screams, and I'm the one who stays by your door and talks to you every time you do, reminding you that I am always right there…always….so don't tell me it's none of my business._ "

She was, without fail, always by her door on the nights she woke up screaming, always reminding her she wasn't alone, always trying to provide whatever comfort she could, but now…

" _Whatever Lucy said or whatever anyone says about me really "wanting" the help or "liking" whatever attention I get or "liking" how you supposedly care about me is a lie! I hate it! I hate it when you're around! You're nothing but annoying_!"

Now…she had ruined it all. Thanks to a few poorly chosen and untruthful words, Erza probably wouldn't be around as much as she used to be. Well, that's what she wanted, wasn't it? To not be cared for, to not make friends, so focus solely on getting stronger so she could help that one person…it's what she kept telling herself and others, so now she could get what she's been asking for.

" _Erza_ …"

She had ruined it. Her and her own fears and stubbornness ruined it all.

"Hikari?"

The child broke from her little daze to find a set or worried blue eyes staring back at her.

"Lisanna…"

The woman came running out towards the child, her worried look growing when she got closer.

"Hikari, your injuries…what happened? And where's everyone else? Are they ok?"

"They're fine…" the girl said softly. "I just…I just came home before them…"

With her emotions getting the best of her, she looked up at the other with tear filled eyes.

"Lisanna…I…"

"Shh." The woman said, pulling her into a warm hug. "It's ok."

"But...but I...messed up…everything…and Erza…."

"I promise its ok." She said comfortingly, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up first, ok? Wendy's not back yet so she can't heal you, but we'll make sure to get you bandaged up and taken care of, come on…"

She ushered the brunette into the building, the young girl immediately feeling the stares from others the moment they were inside.

"Mirajane, she needs to be taken to the hospital area." Lisanna told her sister, the other now sporting the same worried gaze when she saw Hikari. Following Lisanna's lead, the two led her to the back part of the guild, having her sit on one of the hospital beds while Mirajane gathered some things to help clean up her injuries.

"The others, are they all right?" The eldest asked.

"She said they were." Lisanna answered, helping her sister out. "She said she just left before them."

After they got what they needed, they each sat on either side of the child, cleaning and tending to the wounds. They did so in silence, unsure of whether or not the girl wanted to talk about it, but when they finally bandaged her up and saw that single tear fall down her face, they couldn't stay quiet about it any longer.

"Hikari…" Mirajane said softly, pushing some of the girl's hair out of her face. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"You're not going to like me very much if I tell you." Hikari replied, her gaze on the floor.

"Believe me, there's nothing you could tell us that would make us hate you." Lisanna told her. Reaching out, she gave the girl's arm a little squeeze. "Come on, try us."

The girl lifted her dark brown gaze and looked at the two sitting beside her. The need to vent was much worse than this morning, and with her emotions all over the place, she didn't have it in her to toughen up and say she didn't need to talk, so in the end…

"I…I messed up. I really messed up."

"How?" Mirajane asked.

"Well, while everyone was talking to one of the farmers about the Vulcan, I caught his scent and went after it by myself. I was just frustrated that Erza kept thinking I couldn't do anything just because I was tired, so I thought if I beat it, she'd drop the whole thing and stop worrying for nothing. Well, I found the Vulcan and we fought, and I was doing just fine right up until I was about to finish him off. I ended up getting a really bad dizzy spell and lost focus, and then I felt sick and my body started to feel really weak. I ended up getting hit back right into a tree pretty hard, and then stomped on. It was Gray who pulled me out and then Lucy ran me to safety."

The two remained quiet as they listened to her story, a few more tears escaping the child as she continued on. Hikari was one who hated crying, especially in front of others, but she was just having too much trouble holding the tears back. It was like everything she had been holding in the last few weeks was pouring out.

"And then Lucy and I started arguing, and then when the rest of the group came back, Erza and I argued, too. I…I kinda said some mean things to her…and I hurt her because…because she started to cry…"

"What things were said?" Lisanna asked softly.

"Well…at first I was mad at Erza because Lucy mentioned that she…wait, did you tell you guys about some nightmares I have been having at all?"

Mirajane nodded.

"She just told the group this morning after you went outside. She only did because she was worried."

"I know that now, but I didn't think of it that way at first. I got mad at her and said that I hated it when she was around, and that she was annoying. I said I hated how she and everyone tried to care for me and told her that it wasn't anyone's business to know about my nightmares, not even hers, and that's when she started crying. She was upset I had said those things and upset that I thought she really didn't care. She kept telling me that she did and that all she wanted to do was help me get through the rough nights and make me feel safe. She said it was her business because she was the one who hears all of my screams."

"Well…she does care about you a lot, Hikari." Mirajane told her. "She loves being around you and loves doing little things for you, too. And I know you like it. Just think about that night she gave you that necklace…remember how that made you smile? You were really happy. I could see it."

"Yeah but…it can't be that way. When I came to Fairy Tail, I promised myself I wouldn't get attached to anyone or make any friends and such."

"Why would you make that kind of promise?" Lisanna asked.

Hikari shuffled a little uncomfortably at this question. For her, it was still a little too early to share that information.

"I can't tell you…" she told them. "But I'll say this much. There's someone out there I have to protect…"

"Protect?" Mirajane asked, furrowing her brows a bit.

"Yes….there's someone I have to protect, and in order to protect this person, I need to get stronger. When other people try to take care of me, or when I start getting attached to others, I start getting weak and I don't feel as strong as I should be. I can't let that happen, not if I have someone I need to protect."

"Well…answer me this…" Mirajane told her. "You don't have to tell me who or why, but do tell me how you plan on protecting this person if you can't even protect yourself?"

Hikari's eyes widened a little when she heard this, her gaze shooting up to the eldest female with confusion.

"You've been suffering from nightmares and rejecting any help that might make them go away." Mirajane continued. "In turn, that allows the nightmares to continue, leaving you to lose sleep and be nothing but tired all the time. If you're tired like that, it leaves you to struggle on jobs like you did today, causing you to get hurt. That's not protecting yourself very well, and if you can't even do that, how can you get strong and protect another?"

Hikari's gaze dropped a little upon hearing this. She never thought about it that way.

"Hikari…being strong isn't always just about physical strength or being independent and doing things on your own." Lisanna told her. "Do those things make someone strong, yes, but there is another thing out there that makes one even stronger."

"What?" the girl asked.

"Love." She answered. "It's love."

Hikari's heart clenched a little when she heard this, her confusion rising.

"But that doesn't make sense." The child told her. "Love doesn't make me stronger. It makes me feel weaker…like I'm more vulnerable."

"Maybe right now it does because unfortunately, it seems you're not used to it, but when one does allow it in, it does wonders to the heart, giving your more strength that you could ever imagine."

Hikari looked down again, thinking about those words. Could that really be true?

"No human in this word can survive in complete solitude." Lisanna told her. "They may like being alone, but there's no one who can withstand it. To open your heart even at the risk of getting hurt takes true strength and will indeed make you stronger over time. The bonds you build with people, the trust, the love, that's stronger than anything in the world. It's ok to let others take care of you, and it's ok to let others in and give you support. No one here ever has to stand on their own. We give each other strength and love each other in our own ways, and that's what makes us a family…a strong family, and it's a family you are part of."

" _Family_ …" she thought. Perhaps the idea of it wasn't as bad as she thought.

"If you don't believe me, try it yourself." Lisanna continued. "Go find Erza later, tell her how you feel, and just let her take care of you, and I can guarantee that it will be one of the best feelings in the world…and feeling that will help you become a stronger person, and in doing so, you'll be strong enough to not only protect yourself, but that other person as well."

Though some things didn't completely make sense quite yet, she did understand what she was being told and what she had to do. There were just two problems. One, she was scared. She never really was a people person and the thought of getting close to others, especially in a family way, made her nervous. She had just been hurt one too many times and was afraid to do it again. And the second problem…

"Look, I'm still not so sure about this, but say if I did decide to talk to her about things, how do I know she'll want to listen? I did say some mean things and I made her cry. What if she doesn't want to be around me anymore?"

"That is something you won't have to worry about." Mirajane said. "Trust me. I'm telling you, she really cares about you, and those feelings don't just go away. Talk to her. Go ahead and let yourself get taken care of. You'll see, it will all work out."

Easier said than done, but she figured she wouldn't know until she tried. She just wanted to think about it a little longer.

"Yeah…I'll…work on that. I think, for now, I'm just going to go home."

"Probably a good idea." Lisanna told her. "You need the rest. You will rest…right?"

"Yes." She said, slipping off the bed. "I promise. I'll…see you guys later."

"And we'll see you. I promise it will be ok, and if you ever need to talk again, remember, you can come to us anytime.

Hikari simply nodded at this, and with that said an done, she turned and began to travel home. It was yet another small journey that seemed to pass in a blur for her mind was now reliving the conversation between her and the sisters over and over again. Would she really get that much stronger by just letting people in? By letting other people take care of her when needed. Logically, it still didn't quite make sense, but if it did help…

Reaching her apartment, she froze by Erza's door. Hikari couldn't quite pick up her scent, telling her she wasn't home yet. This was probably a good thing seeing as she needed a bit more time. Turning away, she ran upstairs and to her own home, unlocking the door and stepping inside. At this point, it was the late afternoon, telling her she missed lunch. She was a bit hungry, but her tiredness and her sore body canceled it out, leaving her to just change into her pajamas and flop on her bed.

" _Ne…what a day_ …"

She flopped her arm over her eyes and let out a sigh. She was beaten to a pulp, left bandaged, she made Erza cry, opened up a little to Mirajane and Lisanna, and now had to figure out a way to speak to Erza. The physical beating she could deal with, but the twenty thousand thoughts running through her mind and the mixed emotions running through her chest…that was much harder to handle. She was basically being told that if she wanted to get stronger, she'd have to open up. That if she wanted to protect that person…

"Yuki…"

Rolling onto her side, she pulled her pillow to her chest, squeezing it tightly.

" Yuki…" she said softly. "I know…it was stupid of me to run off today. I really could have been killed. How can I protect you if I put myself in danger so carelessly that way? It's just, I don't know. I can see the point Lisanna and Mirajane were making, and though it doesn't make sense in my head, it kind of does in my heart…"

She gave her pillow another little squeeze.

"When Erza tries to take care of me or attempts to warm me up, it makes my heart feel funny. It gets happy and jumpy, and though I get a little scared, I do like the feeling. And when she gave me that gift for no reason, that feeling grew so much bigger than it had ever been, and I felt different. I was really happy. You know what adults have been like to me, so you understand why I am hesitant about it all, but I think…I think Erza is different. She might not really turn out like the others. I don't think anyone in Fairy Tail will turn out like them. It'd be nice to make friends and to get closer to Erza. She's always being real motherly to me, and I like it. If getting closer to others is going to make me stronger, then I think I can face my fears, especially if it means saving you. Plus, I'm really happy here. I bet you'd like it here, too Yuki. I know you will. I can't wait till you meet every one. Soon enough, Yuki-chan….soon enough."

In the middle of her little talk, she heard a small bang from downstairs. It sounded like a door closing. Had Erza finally arrived home? If she had…

Slipping out of bed, she walked over and opened her door, sniffing the air a little. Yep. She was definitely below. Now was probably a good time to speak to her, especially if she was still feeling sad. She didn't want to keep the woman feeling like that for the rest of the day and night, but did she have enough courage to do so?

Sneaking downstairs, she stood inches away from the Erza's door. Whether she had the courage or not, she had to say something to her. She had been worrying her a lot lately and caused a bit of trouble earlier. It was the least she could do. All she wanted to do was help, and deep inside, Hikari wanted that, too.

" _Just do it_ …" she told herself, reaching her hand out to knock. " _Come on, you spoke to Mirajane and Lisanna….you can do it to her, too_." She had to do it, but right when she was close enough to knock, she pulled away, the nerves getting the best of her.

" _I really am weak_ …" she thought. Leaning back against the door, she crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a sigh. It probably would have been better off if she left seeing as she was too scared to knock, but she couldn't bring herself to move. She wanted to stay nearby…she wanted Erza.

"I'm sorry…" she said softly. It was odd for her to be the one on the outside of the door talking, but she really just didn't want to leave. And even if Erza couldn't hear her now, she thought that if somehow she could say the words she wanted to in this moment, it would give her the courage to say them directly to her soon.

"I'm sorry about today. It was a stupid move on my end to run off alone, and I feel bad that I made you worry. I'm also sorry for the things I said and for the way I've been treating you these last few weeks. It just scared me a little…knowing that this whole time, you've heard me wake up screaming. It made me feel vulnerable, and when I get that way, I guess I just close up because I'm afraid of looking weak. The thing was though…I was already weak to begin with, wasn't I? Look how long these nightmares have been going on. You'd think I'd stop waking up in a panic or screaming by now, right? Yet I still am, and it's affecting everything. My fighting, my focus, my body… How stupid is that…I'm scared of things that aren't even real…I'm a lot weaker than I thought…"

-Click-

"Kyaa!"

-Thump-

"Ouch…"

With Hikari lost in her own little mini speech, the child was taken completely off guard when the door suddenly opened, and thanks to her leaning on it, she fell right back and landed on the floor.

"Hikari! I'm sorry! I heard you and I was going to let you in but I didn't know you were leaning on the door and-"

"It's ok, it's ok!" she said, sitting up and rubbing her head. "I got quite a few war marks from today's fight, what's another bump or two? And…wait…you actually heard me?"

The woman nodded.

"I went looking for you at the guild, but Mirajane and Lisanna said that you left for home after they fixed you up. I was just putting some things away and was planning on heading up to check on you, but then I heard your voice…"

Hikari blushed a little at this, partly because she had been heard, and partly because that even after what happened, Erza was going to check on her anyways.

"Sorry…"

Erza's gaze softened at this, and without a second thought, she sat on the ground with the other, scooping the brunette up and holding her close.

"H-hey…Erza-"

"Just because you are scared of your nightmares does not make you weak."

Hikari shuffled a bit in the woman's embrace, the whole being held thing still a little uncomfortable for her, but it didn't look like Erza was going to let go. She probably could have pulled away if she really wanted to, but the words also kept her there, slightly disbelieving in what was being said.

"But I'm scared of them all the time…"

"That still doesn't mean you're weak. People get scared, Hikari. It doesn't make them weak, it just makes them human."

That line seemed to click in her mind a little. She always viewed herself as weak if she was scared, but perhaps that perception, along with many others she had, was wrong.

"It's ok to get scared, even of dreams. I know what it feels like, trust me. I used to get really bad nightmares, too."

Hikari sat up a little and looked at the other when she heard this statement.

"I remember you mentioning that before…you really used to get them?"

"Mhm, when I was just a little bit younger than you, and they'd happen all the time."

"What did you do to get rid of them?"

Erza smiled a little sadly at this, her fingers idly playing with Hikari's hair a little bit.

"Everything I possibly could, but no matter what I did, they never wanted to go away. It took a long time for them to stop."

Hikari looked down when she heard this, playing with the sleeve of her pajama shirt to help ease her nerves.

"I used to get them a long time ago, too." Hikari told her. "But I somehow found a way to get rid of them. Well, more like I managed to just block the magic out."

"Magic?" Erza asked.

The child nodded. She had never told this to anyone before so it was a little awkward to say, but she wanted to help the other understand what was going on a bit more.

"Up until about eight months ago, I lived with my Aunt…she had two servants that worked for her named Jerick and Akito. They were wizards that specialized in illusion magic and they would use it on me…a lot, particularly when I was sleeping. They used to give me the worst nightmares that always felt real. In some, I swear I almost died, that's just how real they would seem. They started it when I was six and kept it up for a few years, but eventually gave up on it when it stopped having an effect on me. "

Ezra's eyes had widened when she heard this story. She couldn't believe what she had been told. She was only a child, and they had done that to her?

"Why would they do such a thing? Did you tell your Aunt? Couldn't she have made them stop?"

"Why would she do that?" Hikari asked with a sad smile. "Why, when she was the one telling them to do so?"

Erza's heart broke when she heard this. Who could ever do this to a child, especially to one that was their own flesh and blood?

"But let's not talk about that." Hikari continued. "Point is, I was able to somehow block out that magic after a while, but these nightmares aren't magic. Yes, they are of the ones I used to get from them, but it's just from memory, so it's not like I can block these ones out like the others. They just come whether I want them to or not."

Though Erza wanted to hear more about the girl's past, she wouldn't push her. If she was going to be told, she wanted it to be done when the girl was ready. Instead, she hugged the girl a little tighter.

"That's why I want to help you…that's why I want to make you feel that you're not alone and that you're safe. If I can get you to really feel safe, then-"

"Erza…I already feel safe with you."

The woman's heart warmed at the sudden, unexpected words. She was really helping the other?

"I have for the longest time. I just…I just thought that was another sign of weakness…leaning on someone to feel safe. And it was something I just wasn't used to. The last person I ever really felt safe with, well, wasn't exactly a person. It was Atlas Flame. He always made me feel safe, but adult wise, I've never had anyone, so when I started feeling it with you, it scared me. That warmth you always get me to feel scared me, too…it still does."

She blushed a little when she said this, keeping her gaze elsewhere as she spoke. She really wasn't used to being this honest.

"But…Mirajane and Lisanna said that being safe with someone or being taken care of by someone was a good thing, that it can make someone stronger, and I really do need to get strong. There's someone out there…someone I need to protect."

"Protect? Who?"

"I can't say…" she said softly. It was more like she wasn't ready to say, but one day, she would be. "But she needs to be protected, and I promised her I would. That's why I have to get stronger, but to do so, I have to do things I am scared of. I'm really not good at getting close to others…"

Erza let her fingers run through Hikari's hair, Hikari actually enjoying the feeling. Uncomfortable or not, the affection did feel nice.

"You really feel safe with me?" she asked.

Hikari blushed a bit more, still unable to make eye contact.

"Yes…very."

The woman smiled, a look of relief mixed with the happiness in her eyes. Leaning in, she rested her forehead on the side of the girl's head.

"Thank god…That makes me so happy…"

"E-Erza…"

"I don't know much about what you've gone through or about who you need to protect and why, but Mirajane and Lisanna are right. When you can form bonds with others, your heart grows stronger, in turn making you stronger as a person as well. I'll do whatever I have to and whatever I can to help you, not only to reach your goal of getting stronger and protecting that person, but because I want to and you deserve all the safety and happy feelings in the world. I want to give them all to you. You won't have to be scared anymore. I'll always be by your side."

Hikari, who was tearing up at this, pulled away a little only to finally look into the other's eyes.

"Always?"

The woman simply smiled.

"Always."

A few tears escaped the confines of her baby browns, and before she knew it, she wrapped her arms around the other's neck and hugged her tight, hiding her face in the sweet smelling scarlet locks.

"Erza….I…"

"Shhh…it's ok." She whispered comfortingly. "I promise, it's all ok."

She could feel more tears welling in her eyes, but the girl did not want to let them free. She didn't want to cry right now and did her best to hold it back, nuzzling into the woman's hair even deeper.

"Thank you…" Hikari whispered.

Erza, who was smiling warmly, simply nuzzled into the child's brown locks as well.

"No…Thank you…"

These words caused the girl to pull back slightly, looking up at the other with some confusion.

"You're thanking me? For what?"

"For letting me take care of you…it makes me so happy. I've wanted to…and I mean really wanted to…for so long. I'm glad I can now."

If Hikari's blush could get any deeper, it did in that moment. She didn't realize how the simple act of taking care of her made the woman so happy. Erza, seeing this blush, could help but find it adorable and just had to tease.

"I'm going to have so much fun…" she said with a smirk. "I'm going to hug you and snuggle you and spoil you silly."

"B-baka!" Hikari shouted. "You'll kill me!"

Now this made the other laugh, the woman shaking her head at the statement.

"Getting loved on is not going to kill you."

"It will if you do it all at once!" Hikari said back. "I've got to ease into this! Oh god…why do I get the feeling you're going to do things anyways…I'm doomed…"

Erza couldn't help but giggle again, the girl's reactions cute. Hikari tried to pout at this, but it was disrupted by a little yawn.

"I bet you're really exhausted now." The woman said to her.

"A bit." Hikari replied. "To be honest, a nap doesn't sound too terrible."

"A nap…" Erza said, suddenly getting an idea. "That sounds good. Let's go!"

And before Hikari had the chance to grasp what was going on, Erza stood up, still holding onto Hikari, the child in turn having to wrap her arms around the woman's neck again to keep from falling.

"Hey! Put me down! What do you think you are doing?"

"Well you said you wanted to nap. I'm just going to tuck you in!"

"Wait, down here?"

"Of course!"

"But I didn't mean-"

Nope, Erza wouldn't hear it. She brought the child to her bed, and before Hikari could finish her sentence, she plopped her right down on top of it.

"And I think I might nap with you. It has been a long day."

After re equipping into some pajamas, an act that took Hikari a little off guard, she pulled down the covers and crawled inside, looking up at the girl when she did so.

"Well, come on, get under. It's warm."

Hikari was left a bit speechless with this sudden move, but she also knew that there was no way she was getting out of it either. Plus, even if she hid it, she really did like the idea of sleeping near the other. So, after a few grumbles and curses, she crawled beneath the blankets, a blush still on her face as she did. When she was all snuggled in, she turned and faced the wall, wanting to hide the aforementioned blush.

"You're not allowed to do that snuggling thing." Hikari told her. "I mean it! I'm telling you, you'll kill me if I do."

"All right, all right." Erza told her. "I'm happy you're at least attempting to get some sleep."

"You're not giving me much of a choice…"

She could hear the woman giggling in the background at this, causing Hikari to pull the blankets over her head, hiding her face.

" _What have I gotten myself into_ …" she wondered.

"Hikari…" Erza's giggling had stooped, warmth now streaming in her voice. "In all seriousness, you're safe. I'll be right here. Nothing's gonna hurt you, I promise."

These words caused her already warmed up heart to flare even more, and though the whole scene was new to her and left her feeling a little nervous and uncomfortable, she, for once, really let herself fall into it. She really was safe. She could sleep peacefully if Erza was nearby.

Rolling over, her eyes locked with the brown ones of Erza's, her face still half hidden.

"Ne….will you be here when I wake up?"

"I will be."

"Promise?"

"I won't leave your side."

Easing a little more at this, she finally let herself curl up nice and good, and after nuzzling into the pillow a bit, she closed her eyes.

"I'll be right here the whole time. You won't be alone."

Hikari could feel the other scoot a little closer, but paid no mind, instead getting lost in the words she was hearing.

"Those dreams can't hurt you. You don't have to be afraid. You're safe here with me."

Comforting…very comforting….the words, the sound of her voice, the warmth behind what she said…it calmed her quickly, sleepiness already taking over.

"Erza…" she mumbled, wanting to say something before passing out, but, she was just too tired, and too comfortable, and before she could say anything else, she fell asleep.

Erza smiled at this, happy the girl seemed relaxed. She needed it…the nap, the relaxation, the chance to feel safe, everything, and she would be sure to give it to her no matter what.

"Hikari…" she said softly. Reaching out, she found the girl's hand and slipped her own inside of it. What she wasn't expecting was the girl to gently grab back in her sleep. This caused the woman's heart to melt instantly, a small blush forming on her face as her eyes began glazing over slightly. This also caused her to wonder about something, and curious for the answer, she made her move, scooting as close as she could and ever so carefully pulling the girl into her arms, wrapping her up and holding her as she slept. And, much to Erza's happiness, Hikari snuggled right in.

"Fight it all you want while you're awake. This tells me that inside, you really want it…" she whispered teasingly. She had a feeling that if Hikari woke up like that, she's freak out, but that was ok. Hikari would learn to love the snuggles eventually, and Erza would never hesitate to give them.

"Sleep well, Hikari….sleep well."

And after giving off her own little yawn, she too finally fell asleep.


	5. Sick Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note! Thank you to those who have liked it and read it so far. I hope you find it enjoyable :) This chapter is more of a fluffy and slightly humorous one. Hope you enjoy!

"Gray! To your left!

"Ice make-Hammer!"

"Will you stay still already?"

"Fire Dragon's Flame Burst!"

"Hikari! Be careful!"

For this job, that the eleven year old happily picked, Natsu and the gang had made their way to the snowy and cold terrain of Mt. Hakobe. Their goal? To retrieve a chest that a local Magnolia citizen lost on the mountain during travel. Lucy was not up for going on this job at all thanks to the cold they would be encountering during it, but when she found out from the town citizen that the chest held some precious writing works he had been working on for half his life, she had to give in. She was a fellow writer after all, and not to mention, the job didn't sound all  _that_  hard. They were just looking for something, right? What could possibly go wrong?

"God damn Blizzardverns!" snapped Gray when his attack missed.

Yep. You got it. They encountered the one thing they hoped they wouldn't. A Blizzardvern, and a nasty one at that. It was a bit bigger than the ones they had faced in the past, and like the others, it was extremely strong, very fast, and could fly. The good news?

"I've got the chest!" Lucy shouted. "But how are we going to get out of here?"

"Not very easily." Erza replied. "Though they only eat herbs, they are very territorial creatures. If there is anything on their land, they think it's theirs, therefore by attempting to take back that chest, it thinks we are stealing something of his."

"I said will you stay still!" Natsu shouted. "You're really pissing me off!"

Blowing fire from his mouth, he aimed it at the creature, but right at the last second, it dove away, Natsu missing it by inches.

"They're fast, Natsu!" Erza told him. "And they're incredibly intelligent. They won't be easy to hit."

" _But there has to be a way…_ " Hikari thought. Following Natsu's suit, she too blew fire from her mouth and into the Blizzardverns direction only to have her attack miss as well. "Dammit!"

"We need to get it on the ground." Erza told them. "Heaven's Wheel Armor!"

The scarlet haired woman re-equipped into a new set of armor, one in which Hikari saw the very first time they all went on a job together. Once she was set, she summoned a slew of blades, all aimed for the monster.

"If we can get him to land, we can defeat him. Go forth my blades!"

At her command, they all went flying with the intent of hitting her target. However, the Blizzardvern had something else in mind. When they came in his direction, he quickly flew towards Lucy, the blades, of course, following.

"Not good not good not good!" sputtered the blonde, holding the chest tight as she ran away.

"Lucy!" Erza shouted.

The creature continued flying towards the girl, but at the last second, he pulled up, the blades smashing into the ground instead. Lucy, however, was safe, thanks to a certain blue cat.

"Thank you, Happy!"

"So heavy…" he said, plopping her back down.

"Baka! And why me?" Lucy cried. "What made that thing want to do that?"

"You're open and have the chest." Erza replied. "By flying to you every time we throw an attack, it thinks we will lessen the attempts of doing so if the fear of hitting you factor is there. I told you they were intelligent."

"No kidding…" commented Gray.

"Intelligent or not I'm still kicking his ass!" Natsu shouted. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Blowing more fire from his mouth again, he attempted to hit the Blizzardvern, however, his attack still not did not land. Instead, it repeated its last move and flew towards Lucy, Happy having to move her again to avoid the fire.

"Don't shoot at it like that!" Lucy shouted, the two re-landing. "You're gonna get me killed!"

"Well how else are we supposed to shoot it down?" Gray asked.

Hikari's mind was running a mile a minute trying to think of something. What could they do to land a hit with an attack without getting Lucy hurt?

"Wait a second…" she mumbled. Remembering how the Blizzardvern reacted when attacked, and idea popped into her mind…an opening that she'd be able to get into if she played her cards right. So, in not wanting to waste any more time…

"Someone shoot again!" Hikari suddenly shouted, running in Lucy's direction.

"What?" Lucy asked. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Hikari wait!" Erza shouted.

"Just trust me! Happy! Be prepared to grab her!

"Aye!"

"Now someone shoot at it again!"

"Don't need to tell me twice." Gray replied. "Ice Make-Lance!"

With swift hand movements, the ice wizard conjured up three or four different ice lances and shot them towards the flying target. Just as Hikari had hoped, the creature went flying towards Lucy again. This was exactly what she needed, for when the Blizzardvern was close enough to the ground…

"Hikari!"

"Got it!"

In one quick movement, and right before the monster could pull up, Hikari had jumped and landed on the creatures back, the girl now flying in the air with it.

"Gotcha you little piece of- woah!"

The creature was not very happy she had done this and was now diving and flying in different directions in attempts to knock her off, the child clinging on for dear life. Yes, everyone was freaking out a little down below, but this girl was having the time of her life. She always loved a bit of adventure.

"Woohoo!" She shouted, the creature roaring in anger. "This is so cool! This is- woah! No no no don't do that!"

Trying to be amusing itself, the Blizzardvern started barrel rolling, Hikari clasping even tighter. When he straightened himself out again, she grumbled at it.

"I don't think so." She told it, slowly crawling her way up and clinging to its neck. "You can't get rid of me that easily. I think it's about time you landed now, yes? Here…let me help you. Fire Dragon's Claw!"

Flames bursted from her feet and she leapt from his back, shooting straight up in the air. With her kicking power now strengthened, there was only one thing left to do.

"Time for you to go! Fire Dragon's Flame Kick!"

With that, she flipped, shooting straight down. Her kicked hit the monster square in the center of its back, a painful roar exiting his system. With this move, Hikari was able to knock him straight to the ground, but that attack alone wouldn't keep him there.

"Now!" the girl shouted.

"Ice Make-Hammer!"

Gray created his hammer out of ice and slammed it against the beast's body.

"Dance again my blades!" Erza shouted her swords once again heading for the creature and easily hitting it head on.

"Natsu! With me!" Hikari shouted, now leaping back. The pink haired male nodded in return, knowing exactly what the other was planning to do. With it set in mind, they both took a deep breath, and all at once they shouted,

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

As a team, the two Dragon Slayers completed this move, sending blasts of fire towards the Blizzardvern and hitting it hard. With that, along with the previous attacks, the creature was finally down for the count and defeated.

….

"Yes!"

Hikari jumped and threw her fist into the air.

"We did it!"

"Nice plan, Hikari!" Natsu said to her. "And nice power, too! You get the Happy high five!"

"That  _was_  pretty impressive." Gray added. "You were quick to think on that."

"Well done, Hikari-chan!" Lucy told her once she and Happy were back on the ground.

"Lucy…seriously…why are you so heavy?"

"I'm not heavy!"

"Hai!" the young girl said happily, high fiving Natsu. "Did you guys see me ride that Blizzardvern? That felt so cool! How many people can say they've done that!"

"Hikari…"

At the voice, the brunette turned around only to find herself facing a very stern expression.

"Oh…hello Erza…" she said a little meekly. In the back of her mind, she knew the woman might have given her this look once all was said and done. Erza was very protective after all.

"Oh come on, it worked didn't it?" Hikari asked. "And I'm not hurt….we did it, so you can't be mad at me…"

The stern look still remained, Hikari grumbling slightly at it. She did not give in and feel bad however, instead using a technique she recently learned worked on the older woman.

"Erza-chan…." She said all cute like, flashing her big, brown puppy dog eyes. "Ne…you can't be mad at me. I'm a Fairy Tail wizard so it's my job to fight after all, and I was careful….enough…"

Erza, whose gaze had softened a bit, simply sighed at the very cute but cruel move, eventually smirking at it.

"That's called cheating, you know that?"

Hikari only flashed a playful smile at this, scratching the back of her head.

"Gomen gomen." She told her. "I really didn't mean to make you worry, but I am all right! I promise! "

Erza could only giggle, ruffling the girl's brown locks.

"First kid I have ever seen ride a Blizzardvern…"

"And it was great!" the girl piped in excitedly. "It felt so cool, even when he was trying to knock me off!"

"Wow…since when did those two start getting along like that…" Gray asked. "And even she and Natsu teaming up…usually Natsu wants to kill her."

"You didn't notice it?" Lucy replied, smiling warmly at the two females. "She's slowly starting to get friendlier to people in the guild. And when it comes to Erza, well, they've been doing a lot better over the last few weeks. Erza mentioned to me that she managed to get her to talk a little, and she's sleeping much better now! You can tell. Her powers back to normal and she does seem happier. Even Erza-chan seems happier, too. Those two are really cute together. They click so well."

"So…Hikari has changed for good?"

"This is one of the best jobs I've been on!" Hikari said happily to the scarlet haired woman.

"I'm glad." She replied with a smile. "You did really good fighting. You've gotten much stronger. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks…" the child said back with a small blush, and in seeing this, it was Erza's turn to strike back with one of her own moves she knew always worked on the girl.

"Awwww…look at that blush." The woman said teasingly. "And look at that smile! I love seeing that. It warms me all up. Will you always smile for me, my Hikari-chan?"

…..

"B-baka! Don't say things like that!" shouted a very embarrassed and derped up Hikari. Comments like that, especially from Erza, still had a tendency…more often than not…to get her all worked up and shy, the child in turn acting all tough to hide that shyness. "My smile doesn't warm you up! And don't call me your Hikari!"

"Yeah…no…" Lucy said quietly to Gray. "Progress? Yes….changed completely…I don't see that happening yet…"

Erza giggled more at the girl's reaction, ruffling her hair once again.

"You really are too cute….but hey, how about we all return the chest and head home? Night's falling in, and it's only going to get colder."

"Aye!" Happy shouted. "I'm hungry!"

"Me too!" Natsu exclaimed.

"I'm all right with that…" Lucy said, shivering in place. Hikari was ok with that, too. She had warmed herself up fighting, but after standing still, she was starting to get really cold again, and mind you, Hikari's don't do well in cold weather. How the hell Gray could walk about in it only half dressed…

"All right then…" Erza told them. "Let's go."

And with that, they headed back to the city, returning the chest, getting their reward, and heading back to the guild. Well, the others did anyways. Erza and Hikari chose to go straight home instead, Hikari a bit tired and wanting to get warmed up and Erza following to keep her company.

"You know…you can go back to the guild if you want to." Hikari told her as they entered the building.

"I know, but it can wait till morning. I wanted to come back with you."

"But…I'll be going to sleep. I'm tired." She said back with a blush.

"That's all right. I still wanted to keep you company anyways."

Hikari stopped at the bottom step that led up to her apartment, turning to face the other with a look clearly stating that she was thinking hard about something.

"What's the matter?"

Walking over, Hikari stopped in front of the other and reached up, touching Erza's cheek.

"Hikari?"

"You're cold."

"Well, a little." Erza said back. "But I'll be fine, I-"

"And since your cold, I guess that means I'll have to sleep with you again. Body warmth is the best, right? I don't want you to get sick because then all I will probably hear you do is whine."

Erza could only smirk at this. In other words, Hikari wanted to sleep with her again, but didn't want to simply ask. She had to come up with some weird excuse on why she had to. This, of course, the other did not mind in the slightest. She loved it when the girl came down to sleep with her and welcomed her with open arms.

"Oh how thoughtful of you." She said teasingly.

"No, it's as I said….I just don't want to hear you whine if you get sick….baka….I'm going to change."

And with that, the girl headed upstairs, entering her apartment and quickly switching into a set of pajamas. As she placed her clothes upon her bed, she had to think…how long had it been since she slept in her own room? Ever since the first night they fell asleep together, Hikari couldn't bring herself to come back to her own place at nights. She loved being with the other and felt secure. Her nightmares lessened greatly and she felt safe being by the woman. She, and very quickly, was falling into Erza's motherly acts. She would still get defensive of course, but would always let herself get mothered in the end.

Once she was changed, she headed back down stairs and entered Erza's apartment, the woman already curled up and waiting in bed. Hikari crawled in from the end and curled up on the side closest to the wall. When she faced the woman, Erza lifted the blanket and held open her arms.

"Snuggles?"

Hikari's blush deepened tremendously, her words freezing for a moment thanks to her mind going stupid.

"You better not be getting the idea that I like them!" the eleven year old snapped. "I hate snuggles! Especially your snuggles! Being held is stupid…but, I guess we have to. You getting sick is not an option."

Erza smirked and reached over, pulling the girl into her arms.

"H-hey! I wasn't ready!"

"Too bad." She said softly, hugging the girl tightly. Hikari wanted to fight it off, but once she felt that familiar warmth, she melted, eventually nuzzling up in the woman's embrace.

"Baka."

"Precious."

"Shut up."

Erza stroked the girl's hair, humming softly as the young girl relaxed. She was so happy Hikari was in her arms. Once the child had started opening up to her more, Erza couldn't help but melt and fall in love, loving her like her own. She didn't quite say these words to Hikari yet knowing the girl was still working on really getting close and being more open, but she did shower her with affection when she could and spent time with her when she was free. She was especially happy the girl was sleeping better. She looked a lot healthier and her power was back to normal. Granted, she would still get her nightmares once in a while, but Erza was always there to comfort and help her fall back asleep peacefully.

"You really are precious, you know that?"

Hikari hid her face a little deeper, her derpness growing by the second. She still didn't handle compliments like that well and wanted to run from it, but at the same time, she wanted to stay, and it was that side that seemed to be winning.

"Should I kill you now or later?"

Erza snicker at this, hugging the girl a little tighter.

"Too cute…sleep well, my Hikari."

Hikari wanted to reply to this, but once Erza started humming again, she got lost in it, finding comfort in the warmth and sound of her voice. Motherly things weren't' that bad after all, but she would never admit it. It still made her feel awkward and scared, yes, but …she was warm, and once that warmth really got a hold of her, no matter what she was feeling, she couldn't run away.

With her eyes closed now, she smiled as slowly began to pass out.. It was a good day today. They had an awesome job, her powers were great, and she even kicked butt and got to ride that Blizzardvern. She couldn't wait to tell the guild tomorrow. The Master would have to be impressed with that…and with her getting stronger, she'd be able to help that person before she knew it.

" _I'll train tomorrow…"_  she thought as she finally fell asleep. " _That rock…_ " The rock she had yet to break. That would be her goal for the next day. No matter what, she would find the strength and she would complete that training. Tomorrow, she would break it for good.

…or so she thought, for when they awoke the next day…

                                                                                                 ✦

"So hot!"

The two had slept in a little bit longer than usual, both pretty exhausted. It was Erza who was the first to wake, but when her eyes fell upon the just stirring eleven year old…

"Hikari! You're burning up! Really burning up! Is that actual steam? Oh my god you're steaming! That's not normal! Why are you that hot?!"

Opening her eyes, Hikari slowly sat up, rubbing them as she let out a little yawn. Leaning back against the head board, she brought her hand to her cheek. It was definitely a lot hotter than it should be, and not only her cheek, but her whole body.

"This isn't good!" Erza panicked. "Why is your whole body burning up? And you look so flushed! Do you have a cold? Is this a really bad fever? You must be really sick if you're this hot!"

"Ne…Erza, I-"

Nope. She didn't even get to speak for before she could, the woman had dashed from the bed, and like a mad woman, she sped around her apartment gathering items she thought she would need to help cool her. A bowl filled with cold water, a cloth, a paper fan…anything that could possibly do the trick. Once all of that was in hand, she ran back to the bed and began frantically waving the fan in Hikari's direction.

"You must have caught a cold from being on the mountain yesterday…but how did it get this bad in one night? We are going to need more help than this…"

"Um…Erza, just-"

"I know! I'll run to the guild and get Wendy! She can help! She told me yesterday that she wasn't going on a job today!"

"But-"

"She'll know what to do. And no worries, I'll be right here! I'll help take care of you!"

"Erza don't-"

"Don't worry, Hikari. We'll get this fever down and help get rid of this cold. You'll be ok! I promise!"

The girl, though she knew the woman's actions were based off of real worry and fear of her being extremely sick, could not help but find Erza's reactions amusing. She was in a legit panic, and though it probably wasn't the time for it, she just had to giggle at the sight in front of her.

"…What? Hikari…this isn't funny."

"I'm sorry." She said, an amused glance still on her face. "I don't mean to laugh, but your reaction was kind of funny. Erza, you don't need to worry. This is actually pretty normal."

The woman cocked an eyebrow at this statement.

"How is this normal? Look at how hot you are. Every so often I can see steam rise from you. You probably caught a cold, and now there's a fever…a really bad one. A fever like that is not normal."

"It is for me." She said back. "Yes, I do have a cold, and this is a fever, but this is just how fevers get with me."

"You mean…this has happened before?"

"Yes." Hikari answered. "See, you have to remember, I'm the daughter of Atlas Flame. Heat is my thing. I can withstand any kind that comes my way and usually I enjoy it. Like when we get those really hot days? Those always feel good for me. I love being out in them. However, when I get sick and catch a fever, my entire body naturally heats up this much on its own, causing this. I know it looks bad, but I promise, it's just a simple cold. And the steaming doesn't happen all the time. Just on occasion."

Erza wasn't expecting that kind of answer, but when she thought about it a little more, it did start to make sense. The dragon was known for his intense heat, passing that right along to the child. She just didn't expect it to rise like that when a cold came about.

"I don't blame you for panicking like that though. I was scared too when it first happened to me. It was Atlas who told me it was normal, and within a few days, I was fine."

Reaching out, Erza touched Hikari's forehead, worry still on her face. She didn't like how hot the fever was making her, but if this was considered normal…

"You promise this isn't a bad thing?" the woman asked.

The young girl sniffled a little bit, letting out a sneeze before answering.

"Well, having a cold is never really a good thing, but I promise this is how I get them. You'll see, I'll be good as new in a few days."

With her panic easing now, she sighed, flashing a warm smile in the child's direction.

"Thank god…you really had me worried there for a second."

At the sudden warmth in her look and in her words, Hikari had to turn away, her shyness kicking in.

"Don't look at me like that!" she snapped. "Not my fault you worried…I tried stopping you but you kept rambling on. And don't get any ideas about taking care of me either. I've taken care of myself through this before, so I know what to do."

Erza snickered at this comment, standing up and re-equipping from her pajamas and into her normal white blouse and skirt outfit.

"That may be so, but I'm taking care of you anyways. You will be staying right there in that bed until you start feeling better."

"Here? What?! But…I can just go upstairs!"

"Nope. You will stay right there."

"But-"

Before Hikari could finish her sentence, Erza slipped onto the bed, pulling the girl right into her arms.

"E-Erza!"

"Please Hikari?" she asked softly, cutting her off as she nuzzled into the girl's brown hair. "Just stay…I'd feel a little safer knowing I can watch over you when you're like this…please?"

The sincerity in the woman's voice caused Hikari's heart to tremble a bit, her stubbornness melting almost immediately. She really was starting to lose her touch when it came to being argumentative about doing things on her own.

" _You and your damn motherly self…_ " she thought.

After letting out a sigh, she flopped a little more into Erza's snuggle, grumbling at her fail to win this argument.

"You're such a pain, you know this, right?" she asked the woman.

"I do." Erza replied, giving the girl another little squeeze before getting up. "But if being a pain means I get to take care of you, then I can live with that."

"You're mental…"

Erza could only smile at this.

"All right then, I know you said this is a normal cold for you and that it will go away in a few days, but I am still going to ask Wendy for a little help anyways. She cast a spell on Lucy at one point when she was sick and ended up being perfectly fine the next day."

"You don't need to do that…" Hikari told her.

"But I'm going to anyways. Anything to help ease that cold."

"Are you going to let me do anything to take care of myself?"

"Nope." Erza replied. "The only thing you need to worry about is relaxing and nothing else."

"Someone please help me…" Hikari mumbled.

Leaning in, Erza placed her forehead against Hikari's, this action catching the child off guard. When she locked gazes with the older woman, she couldn't help but blush a little, that heart felt warm look derping her up.

"Thank you." Erza said softly. She then placed a little kiss on Hikari's cheek. "I really do feel safer with you here for me to watch over. I promise you will be well taken care of, my Hikari-chan."

…..

Oh yeah, this did it. As if the kind words weren't enough to activate her shyness and raise her defense system, then the kiss on the cheek did her in.

"B…B…Baka!"

"Awwww, what's the matter?" Erza asked teasingly as she stood back up. "I can't kiss the cheek of my Hikari?"

"You're so dead!"

"Look! Your face is getting redder than it already is. Oh look! You're steaming again! " she pointed out, her tone still teasing. "Are you blushing?"

"Get out!"

"That's so cute!"

"Out!"

Grabbing a nearby pillow, she launched it at the scarlet haired woman, Erza easily dodging it with a giggle.

"I'll be back!" she said with a smile. "I promise! Don't go anywhere now, and no worries, they'll be lots more loving for you when I return!"

And with that, she left the room.

"…Baka baka baka baka!"

Flopping onto the bed, Hikari grabbed another nearby pillow and curled up into it, hiding her face. What was happening to her? Once upon a time she was tough as hell, but now she found herself falling more and more into all the warm actions Erza was giving. She was becoming a softy, and she wasn't entirely sure if that was good or not.

"Damn…stupid…warm...Mother like…thing…."

She was flustered, especially when Erza kissed her on the cheek.

" _But she really wants to take care of you…_ "

Reaching up, she placed her hand to where the kiss was, relaxing a little. A small smile even grew on her face. Yes, she would still get defense whenever Erza mothered her, but deep inside, she knew she loved it, , and while one part of her wanted to take care of herself, the other part was liking the idea of someone caring for her while she was sick. That hadn't happened since her days with Atlas.

"Erza…" she said softly, a smile still on her face. She silently hoped she would come back soon.

" _And when she does, she'll have Wendy with her._ "

This thought derped the young girl even more. She liked it when Wendy was around. It was nice to have someone near her age that was a Dragon Slayer as well. It was also comforting that they were in the same boat too when it came to their dragons, both losing their respective parents at a very young age. She liked spending time with her, too. The times they did get a chance to hang out were always fun, and she was the only person Hikari never snapped at. How could she ever snap at a cute girl she may have had a little crush on?

" _Holy Jeeze…I'm making friends, I'm being Mothered, and I have a crush…maybe I am sicker than I thought._ "

Deciding to push the thought of her recent lack of toughness out of her mind, she snuggled deeper into the covers, yawning as she did. She felt terrible. On top of the fever, her head hurt, her body ached, and she was all sniffly and runny. She just really didn't feel good. Perhaps getting a spell to help the cold go away quicker wasn't such a bad thought after all. It was such a shame though…she was really looking forward to telling the guild about her ride on the Blizzardvern today.

Time passed as the young girl snuggled up, and soon enough, Erza returned home with two others right in tow.

"Wendy…Carla." Hikari said, sitting up in bed.

"Hi Hikari." Wendy greeted with a smile as she walked to her side. Carla remained in the air, arms crossed over her chest as she gazed at the brunette with a stern glare.

"See what happens when you take a job in the mountains and don't wear the right clothing?"

Hikari could only smile meekly at this, scratching the back of her head. In truth, right before they left for Mount Hakobe yesterday, both Wendy and Carla mentioned wearing something a little bit warmer than her skirt and thin sweatshirt, but she didn't listen. She told them she would be just fine. Clearly, she was wrong.

"I'm sorry." She told them. "Guess I should have listened, yeah?"

"No worries." Wendy told her. "I'm sorry you're sick, but this spell should have you up by tomorrow."

"You sure you don't mind?" Erza asked her.

"Not at all." The girl replied. "I'm happy to."

"She was excited she could come see Hikari-chan." Carla added.

"Carla!"

Erza snickered at this, Hikari trying hard to hide her smile. Had Wendy really been excited to come see her?

"Then I'll leave you to your work." Erza told her. "Thank you for doing this. I'm going to get some tea started in the kitchen. I'll be back in a few."

And with that, she left, leaving the two girls and Carla alone.

"All right, this shouldn't take too long." Wendy told her. "Would you mind lying down?"

"Oh, yeah." Hikari replied, doing as she was told. Once she was down, Wendy placed her hands over her chest, a light coming from her palms once they were there.

" _She really is cute…_ " Hikari thought as she watched the other. " _I like her eyes…and I like her hair…and that smile is pretty, too. I wonder…was Carla telling the truth when she said Wendy was excited to come?_ "

It would be interesting if she was, especially seeing as she herself was excited for the Sky Dragon Slayer to visit.

After a few minutes, Wendy pulled her hands away, flashing a small smile to the sick female.

"Done!"

"Thank you…" she said softly sitting up.

"No thanks needed." She told her. "It doesn't work right away, but by tomorrow, you should be as good as new."

Rubbing her hands a little, her brows furrowed in slight confusion.

"Though, I wonder, I wasn't even touching you, but my hands feel really hot. Are you burning up that badly?"

"I'm sorry about that." She told Wendy, her face flushing a little. "Yes I am burning up, but it really isn't as bad as it seems. I always get this hot when I have a cold."

"You do?"

"Yeah, Atlas Flame is known for his heat, so mine own tends to spike when I'm sick. I'm really sorry if your hands got hot."

"Oh no no don't be sorry! It didn't bother me!" Wendy said, reaching out and slipping one of her hands into Hikari's just to prove it. "I don't mind it at all, see? It just took me off guard a little. "

Hikari could feel her heat rise when this action took place.

"You don't think it's weird?"

"Not at all!" she said back "I know it's not a good thing because it means you're sick, but it's not weird to me. I find it interesting that it happens. "

" _She finds it interesting?_ "

The two were silent for a moment, Hikari finally able to smile in return. Some people in the past thought this little side effect when she was sick had been weird or dumb, but Wendy didn't think that way, and neither did Erza. She was accepted and just taken care of instead. It was definitely a nice little change.

"Are you happy you got to see her now?" Carla asked her owner.

"W-what?" Wendy asked, suddenly blushing. "O-of course! She's my friend! I'm always happy to see my friends."

"But you were  _really_  happy to see her." Carla added. "After Erza asked you to come, you had to run to the bathroom right after and, if I recall correctly, you squeaked and muttered twenty different things about looking nice and acting normal and what not…"

"Carla!" she panicked. "What are you…w-why…and...you…"

Hikari listened as the two argued back and forth, her own face flushing a little bit more. Wendy was really happy to come and visit? Like _really_  really happy? And did she really do all those things Carla said?

"Wendy?"

Both the girl and Carla went silent once Hikari spoke, Wendy looking at the brunette with panic and embarrassment in her eyes. Hikari wouldn't lie, her little panic moment was really adorable and she actually had to hold back from just hugging the girl when she saw it just because it was so cute.

"Were you…I mean…were you really happy to come see me?"

Wendy wasn't expecting this question, her panic easing only slightly when she realized the girl wasn't freaking out or upset by what she heard from Carla.

"Well…I…I was. I mean…I am happy I c-came to see you. I r-really wanted to…"

At these words, Hikari's chest flared a million times over. Wendy had  _wanted_  to see her….just like she had wanted to see Wendy as well.

"I'm…glad." The brunette stuttered out, looking down and fiddling with the blanket. "I'm glad b-because…I w-wanted to see you, too…"

As soon as she spoke those words, her entire face turned five different shades of red, similar to when Erza kissed her on the cheek. The only difference was the feeling, for what she felt with Erza was much different than what she felt with Wendy.

"Wh-what? H-Hikari? Are you ok?"

"I….I…I…" Hikari was all lost in shyness, so worked up and blushing so hard that…

"You're steaming! You're actually steaming!" Panicked the twelve year old. "Being hot is one thing but you're really steaming! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to break you!"

"I'm back!"

Erza walked in the room carrying a tray with a kettle and some cups.

"Wendy, would you like to join us?"

"Wh-what?" she asked, snapping out of her panic mode. "Oh, um, no, that's all right. I know I mentioned yesterday that I wasn't taking a job today, but I ended up picking up a small one anyways right here and town, so I need to get started on that one, but thank you!"

"No, thank you." Erza said with a smile. "I'm really glad you could help."

"Me, too." Hikari piped in, snapping out of her extreme shyness. "Um…thank you. I'm really happy you helped."

"It's never a problem." She replied with a small smile. Her chest was now warm too in knowing Hikari had wanted to see her. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Promise!" Hikari said back.

"All right, I'll see you soon then. Bye!"

"Bye Wendy! Bye Carla!" Hikari said back, waving to them. Once they left the room, Erza settled the tray onto her nightstand and handed a cup to the sick female.

"Thanks…" Hikari said softly, taking the cup. As she leaned back against the head board, she couldn't help but let loose a little smile. She was unsure if it was ok to have the weird feelings she did towards Wendy, but if the girl shared the same feelings in return…

"What's that smile for?" Erza asked with a grin.

"Nothing." She said simply, taking a sip of her tea. She definitely wasn't sharing this yet, so instead, she tried changing the subject a little. "So, I know it doesn't work right away, but, I feel a little different. I mean, I still feel sick, but there's something else going on, too."

"Probably the magic doing its work. " Erza said, taking a sip of her own tea as well. "That's good. I'm really glad she could come and do that."

Placing the cup on the nightstand nearest to her, the brunette flopped onto the bed and curled up. Yes, the tea did feel and taste really good, but her body just felt too tired and she wanted to lie down. In seeing this, Erza placed her cup down as well, joining in on the bed and curling up with the young girl.

"You might not want to hold me." Hikari told her. "You'll get too hot."

"I don't mind it." The woman said back. "So sorry, you're not getting out of this snuggle."

The child snickered slightly at this, nuzzling into the woman's embrace. She could never bring herself to ask for snuggles and hugs, but if the woman offered, hell, she'd take it. It was still going to take some getting used to and there were parts of her that still wanted to fight it, but they were alone right now. Erza had already seen this side of her and there was no one around to act tough in front of, so she happily took this moment to be herself.

Seeing the girl nuzzle up more, she lifted her hand and played with her hair, running her fingers gently through the deep brown locks. She could feel the heat emanating from the child, but she didn't mind it in the slightest. She still wanted to snuggle her. It did, however, bring up a question she had been meaning to ask, something she had been wondering about the child for a long time.

"Hikari…how long were you with Atlas Flame?"

Hikari's eyes widened a bit when she heard this. It was a question she wasn't expecting. She had yet to talk about or share her time with Atlas to anyone, not even Natsu or Wendy. Not because it was a bad thing, but because thinking about it sometimes made her sad. She missed him a lot.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to…"

Hikari readjusted herself slightly, now resting her head on Erza's shoulder and let out a sigh. Maybe it was time she share that bit of her life, and though she was a little nervous, it was only Erza. She felt safe sharing these kinds of things with her.

"Three and a half years." She finally answered. "He raised me for three and a half years. I was two when he found me in a forest."

"What were you doing in a forest?"

"Well…my village at the time had been…invaded…by a band of thieves. I can just barely remember my Father taking me and running, and we ended up in the forest. We weren't alone though…someone followed and eventually caught up. My Father put me down and tried to fight him off, but he wasn't strong enough and was killed. I would have been killed too, but that was when Atlas came. He ended up killing the thief, and right after, he took me in."

"But…what about your Mother?"

"She was already dead. She had died giving birth to me."

Erza's heart broke when she heard this story. From a young age, she had already been through a lot.

"He taught me everything I knew." She continued. "How to read, how to write, and especially how to fight. Atlas loved fighting and I fell in love with it too, even at that age. He taught me early on how to use my powers and well…he became my Father. He always took care of me, always gave me courage, and he was the best, but…then when I was five, I woke up one day and he was…gone."

That had been a hard day for her. She had gotten so close to Atlas, and he never showed a sign of hating her or wanting to leave, but on that morning, seven years ago, he was nowhere to be found, leaving her all alone.

"Just like Natsu and Wendy…" Erza said softly.

"Yeah…"

Though she had been reluctant to share with them, the other two freely told their stories about their dragon parents. She was surprised to learn that they too had lost them the same day she lost her own.

"After that, I went looking for him and somehow ended up back in that forest he had rescued me from. Surprisingly, I came upon my old village, all rebuilt again. Out of those who lived there, only one recognized me….an old lady. She said she was a friend of my Fathers and thought I had died with him even though they could only find his body. She was surprised I was still alive. I asked her if she knew where Atlas was, but she had no idea what I was talking about. She took me in for a bit, but she was old and couldn't take care of me, nor could anyone else in the village, so she got in contact with the only family I had left. My Aunt who lived in Kyrioshi…she was from my Fathers side. I stayed with her from then on and only ran away about a year ago.

A whole year…it had been a whole year already since she ran from that place.

When the girl quieted after that, she wrapped Hikari up tighter, hugging her and kissing her on the head. Though she hadn't said more, she knew the child's time with her Aunt was not a pleasant one from the conversation they had not too long ago.

"The night you told me about your nightmares…you mentioned it was two of your Aunt's servants who did it to you with magic. When I asked you if you told your Aunt this, you said she wouldn't have stopped it because she was telling them to do so…she never treated you very well, did she…"

Hikari hid her face in Erza's shoulder, appreciative that the woman had hugged her tighter and even kissed her…it was comforting. Granted she acted up the last time she was kissed, but right now, it felt nice. Up until she met Erza, she never knew what it was to be mothered, which was why it all scared her at first. It was why she used to push away Erza so much. It still frightened her a bit now, but after it happening so many times since her arrival, she had slowly become used to it and found herself yearning for it even more despite her attempts to keep those feelings at bay.

"No…" Hikari replied. "She hated my Father, calling him weak, and automatically hated me. She said the only reason she took me in was because she needed another servant, and that's what I became, more specifically for her Daughter. "

"She had a Daughter?"

"Yeah…she did. It became my duty to serve, take care of, and…protect her…but, she wasn't like her Mother though. She was nice…really nice, and we often played together when none of the adults were around. A few times we got caught and I was punished for it. She tried to stop my Aunt, but she wouldn't hear of it, saying that the servants had to learn their place. Come to think of it, I got punished for everything, even for using my magic. It was hard living there, but eventually, I got stronger and managed to get away, but…"

That's when the story got hard. The night she ran was a difficult one and a night she didn't always like to remember. It left her feeling hurt and guilty, but she had no other choice…she had to run…if only she could have...

" _How could anyone do that…_ " Erza thought, her heart breaking even more upon hearing those words. She had already gone through so much already. How could her own family treat her that way? She was only a child, and every child deserved to have a home, to feel safe, and to be loved, but with Hikari, she got none of that. No wonder she was the way she was…no wonder she had struggles when it came to family and to getting close to others…all she knew was darkness.

" _She said the only reason she took me in was because she needed another servant, and that's what I became, more specifically for her Daughter_.  _It became my duty to serve, take care of, and…protect her._ "

To protect her…those words struck something else in Erza's mind…something else that she had heard the night Hikari had told her about the nightmares.

"Her Daughter…you said you specifically served her and took care of her. You also…protected her?"

The girl said nothing to this, a guilt feeling travelling through her system.

"Is this the person you were talking about a few weeks back…when you said that there was someone you needed to protect…were you talking about her?"

Hikari's heart clenched, the image of this girl popping into her mind. She felt tears welling in her eyes and had to bite her lip to keep them back. This was where she had to stop…the rest of the story she could no longer share.

"I…I don't want to talk about it anymore…"

"Hikari-"

"Please….no more…"

She wanted the girl to continue so she could learn a little more, but decided not to push it. She was proud Hikari had told her as much as she did. So, instead of pushing, she just kept loving on her. Kissing her from time to time, playing with her hair, humming to her, anything to bring comfort to the girl. She had gone so long without true family and forgot what it was like to just be a kid and to be loved. That would no longer happen though, not if she could help it. Whatever darkness was still in the child…whatever feeling of fear or despair surrounded her heart she would chase out…she would destroy that darkness and keep it from ever returning again.

"Hikari…"

Rolling over a bit, she shifted the child and pulled her closer into her arms, her cheek now resting on the side of the girl's head. After kissing it gently, she leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to…you don't have to tell me anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, but know this. I'm here for you, and you are more than safe with me. Don't ever think otherwise. You are family to this guild and you are family to me…do you understand?"

Hikari hid her face in Erza's chest, those words touching her heart and slowly melting the many years' worth of ice that had surrounded it. The thought of family scared her greatly, but maybe those in Fairy Tail weren't like the other adults from her past…perhaps Fairy Tail could be her family, and Erza could be…

"And understand this too…whoever you are trying to protect…whoever this person is…will be protected by Fairy Tail as well. If this person needs to be protected, you will not have to do it alone. We will be right behind you."

This shook the child's heart even more. Did she just hear that right? They would help her protect this person? Even if they didn't know her…even if they didn't know the situation, they would protect her anyways. But…why? If they didn't know anything…why would they help? She wanted to ask these questions….she wanted to make sense of them, but the words just wouldn't come out. Maybe she had no idea where to start, or maybe she just didn't have anything left in her to speak of the subject anymore. Her past and everything she had left behind was just too much for her to deal with, and more often than not, she wished she could just forget about it. She would scold herself right after though for no matter what bad things happened there, she could never forget…because of that girl, she couldn't…

" _Hikari-chan!"_

_A nine year old girl with deep brown eyes entered her cousin's bedroom, a bowl full of water and a cloth in hand._

_"Hikari-chan!" said a smaller black haired girl happily. "I've missed you!"_

_"You just saw me a few hours ago." Hikari replied, smiling right back. "How could you have missed me?"_

_"I always miss my Hikari when she is gone!"_

_"Yuki-sama…you know you're silly, right? Come on then, lay down. You're fever has risen again, so I'm going to cool you off a bit."_

_At this, the eight year old crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, furrowing her deep black eyes at the older female._

_"What's that look for?" Hikari asked._

_"I told you not to call me Yuki-sama when we're alone."_

_"But…I have to. If Auntie catches me or even Jerick and Akito…"_

_"They're not around right now. They're all doing things elsewhere, so you don't have to worry."_

_"Still though, I should be calling you Yuki-sama. I am your servant after all."_

_"That's because my Mother is stupid! I told her not to make you a servant but she never listens to me."_

_"She is not." Hikari said firmly. "You shouldn't speak ill of someone who takes good care of you."_

_"She doesn't take care of me as good as you do…"_

_A small blush grew on Hikari's face, her firm gaze softening._

_"Yuki-sama…"_

_"No." she pouted, her eyes watering up. "Yuki-chan."_

_If there was something the brunette couldn't handle, it was the teary gaze of the younger female, the look always melting her heart. Reaching out, she ruffled her black locks a bit._

_"Would you really like me to call you that when we are alone?"_

_"Yes!" she said with a little smile. "And…you'll be nee-chan!"_

_"Wh-…nee-chan?"_

_"Mhm! Ne…you're not just a servant to me…or just a cousin. You take really good care of me, you always listen to what I have to say, and you make me feel safe. You're my big sister, and that's what I want to call you…can I?"_

_Hikari's gaze grew softer, her smile warm and happy. Though it was her job to take care of this child, she never found it a chore to do so, always loving to be by the girl's side. And to know tha_ t _Yuki_   _really felt happy and safe with her, well, what more could she ask for?_

_"Yes, you can…Yuki-chan…"_

_At this, Yuki's eyes lit up, her smile brighter than the sun. It made Hikari so happy to see it, and she would take care to, no matter what, always get the girl to smile like that._

_"Come on then, its best you lay down so I can cool you off a little."_

_"Hai, nee-chan!"_

_Once she was down, Hikari dipped the white cloth into the bowl, squeezing it out a bit before dabbing it lightly onto Yuki's forehead._

_"How are you feeling today by the way? I'm sure the fever is making things a bit hard."_

_"A little." Yuki replied. "But I'm ok! My body doesn't feel as tired as it was yesterday and I even have my appetite back!"_

_"That's good. I'm glad to hear it." She loved hearing that kind of news. From a young age, Yuki had always been very sickly, spending most of her life in bed. No one could figure out what was wrong with her, the child just always seeming drained, leaving her body weak. Despite that though, she was always smiling and always had a happy outlook. And in seeing that, it gave Hikari the courage to smile too even in her dark situation._

_"Nee-chan?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"We're always going to be together, right?"_

_This question took the girl a little off guard._

_"What? Of course, I'll never leave your side."_

_"Promise?"_

_"I promise."_

_Yuki smiled._

_"Good, cause I-"_

_"Hikari!"_

_The door suddenly slammed open, a tall, lean man in a butler suit walking in._

_"Hikari! Let's go! The Mistress wants to see you!"_

_"Now?"_

_The gray hair man walked over, wasting no time in smacking the brunette upside the head._

_"Of course now!" he snarled, an angry look on his face. "I wouldn't be here if she wanted you some other time you little twit!"_

_"Stop!" Yuki shouted. "Don't hit her!"_

_"Sorry, Miss." He said to her. "I'm only doing what the Mistress orders. Anytime she goes out of line, she gets a good smack."_

_"But she didn't-"_

_"Come on then." He said, grabbing Hikari by the scuff of her shirt and dragging her out. "Off with you. If you keep the Mistress waiting any longer, you'll get more than just a smack."_

_"Hikari!"_

_The girl looked back at her younger cousin…no…sister…and saw those tears forming again in her eyes. Hikari wanted to cry, too, not wanting to leave Yuki's side and face her Aunt, but she couldn't do it. She would never let herself cry, especially in front of the younger girl. She always had to be strong, so instead, she just smiled._

_"Don't worry Yuki-sama. I'll be all right. I'll be back soon, ok? You just rest, and remember, today is the day we made our promise. I won't forget it, so don't you either, ok?"_

_And she never did. Hikari always kept that promise in her heart and would never break it. However, after some events that had occurred a year and a half later, she wouldn't be left with much of a choice than to do so…that being the hardest decision she ever had to make…_

_"Nee-chan…"_

_Out of breath, the almost eleven year old held onto the younger girl tightly, the two hiding out in one of the upstairs rooms. She could still smell the flames from the fire she had started and wondered how long it would be before her Aunt and the others found them._

_"Hikari-chan…you have to leave…"_

_At hearing this, she looked down at the other._

_"No! I'm not leaving you behind!"_

_"You have to."_

_"I won't!"_

_"Hikari-chan…they won't hurt me, but they'll hurt you…"_

_"Wouldn't be the first time."_

_"But you might even be killed…."_

_"Who cares! Let them do what they want! I'm not leaving you! I'm not going to let that witch of a woman do those things to you anymore!"_

_"Please…"_

_"No…I'll not leave you alone. I'll just take you with me. I'll take care of you."_

_"I'm sick, Hikari-chan. My body won't handle it. You're strong. You have magic."_

_"You're only sick because of her! This is all her fault! I can take care of you!"_

_"You can't…"_

_"But-"_

_"You can't stay…for me…Hikari…"_

_"Yuki-chan…"_

_A single tear fell down her cheek, but the brunette quickly wiped it away._

_"Nee-chan…for now…just run. If they find you, I'll know they'll kill you, and I couldn't bare it if they did. Please, just find somewhere safe and don't come back."_

_Hikari squeezed the girl tighter, her heart breaking at these words. She couldn't just not come back, not with what she had just learned._

_"I'll go…I'll go somewhere safe…for you…but here me now. I will come back. I will leave here, get stronger, and I will defeat Jerick, Akito, and your Mother, and then I will take you."_

_"Nee-chan…."_

_"I will come back for you. I will come back and save you from your Mother…I will save you from this town. Yuki-chan…I'll do it. I promise."_

**-Knock knock knock-**

Hikari jumped at the sudden sound, gasping slightly when she did. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes a little, letting out a stretch. Had she fallen asleep?

" _I must have…_ " she thought, looking outside. The sun was nice and high, telling her it was midday now. " _Weird…_ "

It wasn't her intention to fall asleep. The last thing she remembered was snuggling up in Erza's arms, Yuki on her mind.

" _Erza…_ "

Looking around, she found that the spot Erza was once occupying was now empty, the girl alone in the bed. Where did she go? Was she still home? Did she take off somewhere? She hoped not…her heart aching for the woman's warmth again. A little voice in her head scolded her for feeling that clingy, but she ignored it. She was sick. She could be clingy for one day, right?

"Erza?" she called, crawling onto her knees as she rubbed her eyes a bit more. Where did she go? She really hoped she wasn't far. "Erza…I want more snuggles…"

"Hikari?"

From the door way came the voice of the scarlet haired woman, Hikari looking and finding her there. Her heart eased a little when she saw her and ended up just flopping back onto some pillows, a sleepy gaze still on her face.

"You all right?" Erza asked.

"Mmm…" Hikari grumbled.

Erza giggled at this, finding the eleven year olds sleep fluffy moment too adorable.

"You were out for a couple hours there. Did you sleep all right?"

"Yeah…"

"That's good. With you being sick, rest is one of the best things for you. Oh…and correct me if I'm wrong…"

It probably wasn't the best time to do this, but the other couldn't help but tease a little, a smirk on her face when she asked the next question.

"But…did you just call out for me and then ask for more snuggles?"

Oh yes, this woke the Dragon Slayer right up. Her sleep fluffiness disappeared in an instant and she quickly went into her defense mode, blushing slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Wh-what? What are you talking about? Why would I ever ask for snuggles from you? It's not like I want them…you just always give them to me. Calling out your name and asking for snuggles…yeah, you definitely heard that wrong."

Erza broke out into a fit of giggles at this. She knew the other would deny it, but hey, it was worth a shot to see if she'd tell the truth. Plus, it was always funny to get her worked up."

"Oh I'm terribly sorry." She told her. "You're right, why would you ever ask me for snuggles?"

Hikari only grumbled at this, passing a few curses under her breath. She'd have to pay close attention and make sure she didn't say those things out loud anymore.

"Anyways." Erza continued, dropping the teasing for now. "I'm glad you're awake. You have some visitors."

"I do?" Hikari asked, a little confused. "Who?"

"There she is. Hi Hikari-chan!"

When Erza stepped inside, two others followed, a small smile gracing her face when she saw them.

"Mirajane….Lisanna….you guys came?"

"Of course!" Lisanna replied. "We were worried when Erza told everyone you were sick today."

"And we have soup, too!" Mirajane added, holding up a wrapped bowl. "I made it right after she told us so you could have some for lunch."

"For me? Really?"

The three walked over to the side of the bed, the takeover siblings sitting beside the girl while Erza leaned back against a nearby wall a few inches away.

"Don't be so surprised." Lisanna told her with a wink. "Why  _wouldn't_ we do something like this for you?"

Hikari blushed slightly, her chest warming at the fact they had come to visit and even brought her something.

"Here you are." Mirajane said, uncovering the bowl and handing that, along with a fork, to the child. "I hope you like it."

"Mira-nee, I don't think there is anyone out there who hates your cooking."

"Still…" the eldest said meekly. "She might  _not_ like it."

Not wanting to wait any longer seeing as she was actually pretty hungry, she dug right in, taking her first bite and chewing it curiously. Moments after, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow…this…is amazing!" she said.

"Really?" Mirajane asked, her face lighting up.

"Yeah! I love it! It's really good!"

"And Mirajane wins again with her amazing cooking." Erza piped in.

"Well it's nothing overly special." The woman replied with a blush. "Just some chicken and vegetables and a few spices really."

"But it's still good." Hikari told her, smiling in their direction. "Thank you for bringing it."

"You're welcome." Mirajane said back, both sisters smiling just as warmly in return.

"Are you feeling any better?" Lisanna asked. "I know Wendy came in this morning and cast a spell to help cure it."

The child nodded as she took a few more bites.

"I'm still all sniffly, my fever is still there, and I'm really tired, but other than that, I'm ok."

That's good." Lisanna replied. "Hopefully you will be up and about by tomorrow."

"Let's hope so." The girl said back.

After that, she continued eating in silence, the two sisters and Erza talking about something guild related. It was after her last bite did she finally speak.

"Done! Really…that was the best."

"Here, I'll take that." Erza told her, Hikari handing her the bowl and fork. "I'll run to the kitchen and wash this out."

"Oh you don't have to!" Mirajane told her. "I don't mind bringing it home and doing it!"

"It's all right." The woman replied with a smile. "It was nice of you to make this and bring it over. I don't mind doing it at all."

"Oh…well thank you." Mirajane replied, smiling back.

"No, thank you. I'll be back in a few."

And with that, she left the room, leaving Hikari with the white haired siblings.

"Hmm, I heard that you were really hot this morning." Lisanna said, reaching out and touching Hikari's forehead. "So hot you were actually steaming. You still feel like you're burning up pretty good."

"Yeah…I have a tendency to get that hot when I'm sick." She said a bit meekly, scratching the back of her head. "Always been like that, and yes, the fever has gone down some, but I 'm still pretty hot."

Snuggling back on the pillows a bit more, the young girl let out a sigh. It was nice seeing those two here. Ever since they had that conversation the day she got roughed up by that Vulcan, she started opening up to them more and more, sharing bits of things with them and enjoying being in their company. She was always smiling when they were around and would include her in the little activities the two sisters usually did together. Like last week, Erza went on an S class mission, Hikari having to stay behind. While she was gone, Lisanna and Mirajane took her on a picnic and they spent the day together. She got defensive many times during that outing, but enjoyed it none the less.

"You know, I never did thank you for that day." Hikari suddenly told them.

"What day?" Mirajane asked, slightly confused.

"The day I came to you guys after I fought the Vulcan. You guys bandaged me up and stuff, and said some things that made it easier for me to talk to Erza that night. I'm really glad you guys were there…thank you."

She was a little shy about saying these words, but with their surprise visit and the treat they brought, she had slipped back into snuggle mode, leaving her to opening say those types of things. Plus, like with Erza, it was getting a little bit easier to show this side of her to them.

"No thanks needed." Lisanna told her. "We'll always be there if you need us."

"Still…what you guys did…and everything you said…it really helped."

"I'm glad." Mirajane said warmly. "I'm really glad."

The three were silent for a moment, Hikari relishing in their company. Though she wasn't a fan of it before, she really liked how she got taken care of while sick. It felt nice, and it made her feel special. And it was less stress, too. Her colds would sometimes get bad in the past because she failed to take care of herself properly or just couldn't take care of herself at all and it would keep her from doing some jobs, her Aunt always punishing her if she couldn't fulfill her duties. It was a relief to not have to worry about that here, that she was able to relax and really recuperate.

While lost in her own little thoughts, a certain question had popped in her mind, something she had wanted to ask Mirajane but always kept forgetting. Might as well now that she was here.

"Oh, by the way, Mira-nee, I-"

…..

Nope. Forget the question. That wasn't even on her mind now. What she was suddenly focused on were the words that had accidently come out of her mouth, and not only was she surprised, but so were the other two.

"Um…I…I…"

"Did you just call her…Mira-nee?"

"No!" she shouted, turning deep red with a blush, her whole body heating up as well. "I mean yes! I mean…on accident! I didn't mean to! It's because…because…you say it all the time! And I heard it too much and it popped out!"

"Wow…she really does steam up…" Lisanna muttered to her sibling.

"I swear I didn't mean it! I mean, why would I call you Mira-nee! You're not even my sister! I don't even look at you that way!"

Mirajane, whose expression had warmed up immensely on being called Mira-nee by Hikari, had suddenly changed, now saddening a bit at what she heard.

"You…don't?"

"Well I mean…and…the thing is…"

The woman could hear no more. It really made her happy being called that, but now that Hikari was taking it back, it broke her heart, tears welling up in her eyes, and moment after, she began to cry.

"And here I thought we were becoming just like sisters!" she said, covering her face as tears poured out.

"What? What are you doing! Don't cry!"

"I'm so sorry…I thought I was doing a really good job on being a big sister for you but I must be doing horrible if you didn't look at me like that. I'm so sorry!"

"Why are you apologizing to me? You didn't do anything wrong!"

"I did! I failed at being your big sister! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"Stop it!"

All while this was happening, Lisanna sat quietly, ready to explode. It was a project to keep her laughter in. She knew from the start the crying was an act for the woman had done it before, but it was too hilarious for her to stop. So instead, she decided to back up her sister and join in.

"Does that mean you don't look at me like a sister either?" the youngest sibling asked, now tearing up as well. "That must mean I've been doing a bad job, too!"

"No! No!" the child panicked. "That's not what I meant!"

"We know exactly what you meant." Mirajane said sniffling. "We'll just leave now so we don't bother you anymore."

"No! Don't leave! I lied! I didn't mean what I said! You guys  _are_  like big sisters to me!"

"You're just saying that now because we're crying…" bawled Lisanna.

"No I'm not! I'm really not! Please…I really do look up to you guys as sisters…" Hikari claimed, her flailing coming to end, her voice going softer as she spoke. She didn't mean to get them worked up like that. She did look up to them as her big sisters. It was just something she had kept to herself because…

"I was just scared…to tell you. You know I'm terrible at this stuff. You guys really are there for me and go out of your way to spend time or to visit like you are now. I just…I was afraid to say anything because I thought you guys would think it's stupid, and wondered why you two would want someone like me looking up to you like sisters."

And that was the truth of it. Both of them along with their brother Elfman were all very close siblings and she liked seeing that. She had a sister like relationship with Yuki, but she herself was the oldest, and with her away from there for the time being, she didn't have anyone around that was like a sister anymore, so when she started getting closer to Mirajane and Lisanna, she started looking at them that way. She was the little sister for once and not the big one, and she liked it. Not that she minded being Yuki's big sister in the slightest…it was just a nice feeling to have older ones. She could just never figure out a way to tell them. She failed at saying those kinds of things after all. This was just a different situation in which she  _could_ say them, not wanting to see them cry.

"Please don't think I hate you or something, because I don't. I really don't…I-"

_Thump_

"Oomph!"

Mid-sentence, she was unexpectedly tackled by the two older females, both of them now snuggling her silly with very happy looks on their faces.

"Isn't she just adorable?" Mirajane asked. "It was so sweet of her to say those things!"

"She really is adorable!" Lisanna said back. "She's got to be the cutest little sister in the whole world!"

"What…but…the tears?" Hikari asked, confused on why they had disappeared so quickly. "The tears…they're suddenly gone….where did they-"

"I'm so glad she looks at us that way." Mirajane added. "That means you'll call me Mira-nee from now on, right?"

"And you'll call me Lisa-nee! Yes?"

"U-um…I…yes…I can, but-"

"Say it then!" Mirajane cheered. "Say our names!"

"Uh…M…Mira-nee…Lisa…nee…."

"Kawaii!" Squeaked Lisanna. "You're the best!"

Seeing the girls suddenly snuggly and happy like nothing had happened, she caught on to what had really been done, her face falling into one of those looks that clearly said, "You're kidding me, right?"

"You guys faked that all…didn't you…"

None of the girls replied, both keeping up with their sisterly snuggling. Erza on the other hand, who had been watching from the doorway, snickered at the whole scene, amused at what had happened. When all was said and done, she made her appearance.

"Back." She told them. "Everything's all clean."

"Thank you!" Mirajane said, now getting up. Lisanna followed suit. "I really appreciate you washing it."

"It wasn't a problem at all." Erza replied. "I appreciate you visiting, and I am sure Hikari is appreciative, too."

The girl gave no reply to this, Hikari still grumbling away at what happened.

"I'm glad we could help, but we'll be off now." Lisanna told them. "Get better soon….my little sister."

"Our little sister." Mirajane added, and with that, the bowed and took their leave.

Peeking over at the scarlet hair woman, she grumbled.

"Erza…."

"Oh yeah…" she told the child. "You know it….you were played."

"Shut up."

Giggling, Erza climbed on the bed and stole Hikari into a snuggle before the child could even think about pulling away.

"Now's probably not a good time to hold me." She mumbled.

"Oh no, now's the perfect time to." Erza replied. "Don't be all worked up silly. It's a good thing you said those things! You really are like a little sister to them and it's nice that they know you look up to them that way."

"But did that have to use all those fake tears and stuff?" Hikari asked. "That was so not fair…I actually thought they were crying!"

"Would you have told them how you felt otherwise?"

The child didn't answer this, Erza having a point. To be honest, she probably wouldn't have said it without some sort of dire action, but still, the fake tears?

Giving into the snuggles, she flopped her head on the woman's lap, letting out a sigh.

"Why do you guys hate me…"

"Oh we don't hate you silly…we love you!"

Hikari's heart skipped when she heard those words.

"Say that again and I will kill you."

This made Erza laugh out loud, shaking her head as she began fiddling with Hikari's hair.

"Always the stubborn one." She said, but pushed it no more. She was just happy Hikari admitted the things she did even if the whole crying act was fake. She had to say those things one way or another, but not wanting to tease anymore, she began to hum, caressing the child's hair as she did so.

"Baka…" she mumbled before nuzzling her face into Erza's stomach. She'd deal with the older siblings later. Right now, she just wanted to flop, sleepiness taking over again.

"Tired?" Erza asked.

"A little…though I don't see why. I've slept a lot already."

"You're sick, remember? You're going to be tired. Fall asleep if you'd like."

"If I do, I'll move off you. You've already been stuck with me all morning."

"Stuck with you?" Erza asked. "Who says I am stuck with you? I told you I wanted to be here while you're sick silly. I want you to fall asleep on me if you'd like. I'd love it actually. I still want to watch over you."

Hikari grumbled a little more at this, but didn't argue it. It'd be stupid to hide the fact that she wanted the woman to stay, especially when the other knew it as well.

" _What is with everyone wanting to be here for me?_ " She thought as she curled up. It still threw her off slightly and left her unsure of how to handle it. She went from no adult wanting to be there to almost everyone she knew wanting to help her somehow. Whether it was Natsu and the Master for her powers, Erza as a Mother, Lisanna and Mirajane as sisters, Lucy and Wendy and close friends, and the list just went on.

" _I just don't quite understand it…I mean, I was a pain right off the bat when I arrived, but even then…and now…I wonder…_ "

She suddenly thought back to the conversation her and Erza were having before she passed out, remembering the woman saying something about not only her, but the rest of the guild being there when it came to the person she had to protect. Was that all true? Would they really do that? Mirajane, Lisanna, everyone?

"Erza…"

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked softly. "When you mentioned about you and everyone being there to help protect that certain person of mine….is that true?"

Erza smiled softly and continued to stroke the girl's hair.

"Of course it's true. We will always be here to back you up."

"Even if you don't know the situation?"

"Mhm."

"And even if you don't know this person?"

"Yes."

"But why?" she peered up at the other questioningly. "If you don't know what's going on and you don't even know who I am trying to protect, then why would you and everyone else back me up?"

"It's just as I said before. We're family, and family will always be there to help. You're giving me the impression that this person is dear to you, and if that is so, then he or she is dear to us as well. If what's going on and the reasons behind why you need to be protecting is important to you, then it's important to us, too. Trust me, Hikari, we'd do whatever we could to help you. It's what families do."

" _Family…_ " That word sure came up a lot. It was another thing she always lacked, but something that was now right in her reach. She just had to accept it and grab on, but could she do so? Could she finally admit and say out loud that Erza…that Fairy Tail was her family? And could she really count on them for help? Part of her knew she could, leaving her to want to tell the woman the rest of her story…to share why Yuki had to be rescued, but there was still too much fear in her…there was still a hesitance. She wasn't ready yet. She would be soon though….at some point she'd share, but not yet…not yet.

Letting out a little yawn, she nuzzled a little closer, getting even more comfortable in Erza's warmth.

"Sleep. It's ok. You need it, and I will be right here."

Her tiredness was getting the best of her, so much that even if she tried to fight it, she'd fail, so instead…

"Erza?"

"Yes?"

"Could you just talk?"

"Talk?"

"Yeah….talk…about anything."

"Why's that?"

"I just want to hear your voice…until I sleep."

Erza's smile grew upon hearing this, her heart warmed at the fact that such a mere thing could comfort the girl. She really was just so precious…

"I don't mind at all…" she answered. "All right then, let's see…"

For a good while, Erza spoke, talking about anything and everything until the girl was sound asleep, and even after that, she kept talking, saying some things she knew the girl would get all defensive over if she were awake or sometimes just humming random tunes.

"Not so stubborn once you're asleep." She said amusingly, scratching at the girl's back gently, and she wasn't at all. She would snuggle like nothing, mumble, and sometimes even squeak in her sleep. It was too cute, and she loved every moment of it. Nothing made her happier than to be able to sit there and be with the child while she slept. To be able to comfort her warmed her heart, and for Hikari, she wanted to comfort her always…

* * *

"Nyaa…"

A few more hours had passed before Hikari had woken up once again, rubbing her arms and stretching as she did. It had been a peaceful sleep, a dreamless one as well…definitely no complaints there. As she squirmed around, she felt herself snuggled up against something warm. Looking up, she saw the smiling face if Erza, the memories all coming back.

"Oh no!" Hikari snapped, sitting right up. "I fell asleep on you again! Were you there the whole time?"

"Yes, but that's ok." She said back, placing the book she had been reading down. "I told you it was fine, remember?"

"I know but…look, it's near dark out! That's a long time!"

"No worries, all is good, I promise." She told her. "I'm happy you slept."

"It's not all good! That was a really long nap, I-"

Half way through the sentence, she stopped, something else distracting her thoughts.

"Hikari?"

"I'm not hot…"

Hikari felt different places on her body, searching for the extreme heat her body had been giving off only to find it was no longer there.

"It's gone…my heat is gone. My fever is down…feel it!"

Erza reached out and placed her hand on Hikari's forehead, smiling when she saw that the girl was indeed right.

"Well what do you know, it has. You're starting to feel better then?"

"Yeah!" she said brightly. "Well, I still feel tired, but my body isn't achy and my sniffles are gone! Wendy's spell is working!"

She was so excited things seemed to be getting better. She hated being sick, even more so because she stayed down a lot this round. As much as she loved how she got all the time in the world with Erza, she was naturally an active child, so to be still for as long as she did drove her nerves a little crazy.

"That's wonderful." She replied back warmly. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Me too! I'm itching to get out there! I want to go on a job again and make more money and help out more people and-"

"Woah woah woah." The woman said with a giggle. "Easy now, it would be best to take one more day recuperating you know."

"But but…I don't need that extra day! I can start tomorrow!"

"Yes, but it would be in your best interest to wait one more day before really getting back out there." She replied, tapping the girl on the nose. "Better to be safe than sorry."

Hikari scrunched her nose at the action, grumbling at the fact Erza wanted her to relax one more day.

"Well, I want to be able to do something. I've been stuck in here all day. Not that I minded it!" she added quickly. "I just…want to get out a bit."

"Well, as long as it's not a job, we can go out for a bit tomorrow if you'd like."

"How about now?"

"Now?" she asked with an amused gaze. "Where would you want to go now?"

"The guild!" she answered. "It's not too late, right? People might still be there! I want to see everyone!"

She quickly covered her mouth when she said this, back tracking on her words in attempts to take them back.

"I mean….not excited to see everyone. I just…and…well what I really meant to say is…."

"You're really starting to suck at coming up with excuses, you know that right?"

"Baka!" she snapped, blushing slightly. "Shut up!"

Erza snickered, shaking her head at the other.

"You really want to go to the Guild?"

Calming down a little, she nodded her head. Though she tried denying it, she did want to see everyone and did just want to get out for a little.

"Well, you have been cooped up today…all right, let's go together. I'm sure everyone would be happy to see you."

"Yes!" she shouted standing and fist pumping the air. The woman giggled at the girl's excitement. Yep, she was definitely starting to feel better.

"You just going to go in your pajamas?"

"That a bad thing?"

"They might find you adorable." Erza replied.

"And if anything is said, I will kill them all."

"You're so pleasant, you know that?"

"I do."

Erza just smirked at the other and stood up, but before moving away from the bed completely…

"Hop on."

"Wait, what?" Hikari asked.

"Hop on my back." Erza answered. "I'll carry you. Come on, you know you want to."

Hikari thought about this for a moment. To be honest, yes, she did actually want to piggy back with Erza. It did look kind of fun, and despite her defensive side being up a little, she did still feel a bit snuggly.

"And if anyone says anything, remember, you can still kill them all."

This made the child giggle a bit, that little moment easing her up enough to wrap her arms around Erza's neck, letting the woman catch her legs and hold her tight. This made Erza happy in return. Though the child might not have realized it, the woman did. For once, the girl was just having a little fun. For once, she was just being a kid, and if Erza could provide moments like this even in the smallest of ways, she most definitely would.

"You ready?" the woman asked, Hikari nodding in return.

"Hai! Let's go!"

* * *

Back at the Fairy Tail guild, only a few remained, most going home for the night. Those that were there were Natsu and his team, Lisanna and Mirajane, and the Master.

"Hey…" Mirajane told the group, all of them sitting around the long bar table. "Did you guys see this new quest that just came in?"

"What is it?" Gray asked, Mirajane handing it in return. Glancing down at it, he raised a brow. "It's labeled an S class quest. I don't really look at those too often because I can't take them yet."

"I know." Mirajane replied. "But look at it. It worries me slightly."

Scanning it, he began reading bits of it out loud.

"Offering 700,000 jewels as a reward."

"700,000 jewels?" Lucy asked, her mouth dropping. "That's a lot! More than we've ever been offered. 700,000 for what?"

"For…killing an ancient demon?"

"What?" Natsu asked, snatching the paper and looking at it. "Gaimeka…a rock demon. Rock, hmm? That doesn't sound too bad. I've broken mountains and stuff down before…a rock demon would be a piece of cake."

"Baka…"

The whole group looked over at the voice, the speaker being none other than the Master.

"It's not that simple, Natsu." He told him. "He's a lot more powerful than that."

"Just how powerful is he?" Lisanna asked. "Do you know about him?"

Makarov nodded.

"I've heard many stories and read a lot about this one. He's quite the massive demon, taller than almost all the mountains in Fiore. His strength is unbeatable, and he has the ability to create earthquakes with his own hands. The last wizard who fought him years ago gave his own life to seal it, but apparently someone has set it free again."

"He died sealing it?" Lucy asked. "But…is there no other way to defeat him?"

"There is." The Master replied. "But it's hard to get to. You see, this demon has a very special dark lacrima in the center of his chest. It gives him his strength and his power. If you break the lacrima, you destroy him, but it's near impossible to get near that area, even harder to break through his chest to get to it.

"I bet I could." Natsu piped in. "Happy could fly me up there and I could break it. Right Happy?"

"Aye!"

"Fool! It's not that simple! Gaimeka would not make it that easy! And this is an S class wizard quest only, so don't even go thinking about ideas! And even if you were S class, I wouldn't send you anyways."

"Why not?" Natsu asked, getting a little defensive.

"Because though we have the flyer, it's not yet in our region. The region it  _is_  in has guilds on this assignment already. All other guilds, like us, just received it as a precaution."

"Well if it is out of our hands right now, why are you worried?" Gray asked Mirajane.

"Because though it's not in our region, it is pretty close. What if it does come or way?"

"Then it better be ready to die!" replied Natsu. "No way Fairy Tail would let him get away with anything. I'm already all revved up in knowing we could take him down!"

"Why are you revved up?" Gray asked him. "It's not like you could do anything anyways. It's S class only. And even if you were, you'd stand no chance against him."

"What?!" Natsu raged. "Say that again ice breath!"

- _Click_ -

"Really…why is it every time I walk in on you guys, you're always fighting?"

Turning around at the voice, all eyes fell upon two figures, Mirajane's face lighting up when she saw who had entered.

"Hikari-chan! Erza!"

"Hi hi!" Hikari said to everyone, excited to be there.

"Hey guys." Erza greeted. "Hikari wanted to pay everyone a visit, so we decided to stop by before we turned in for the night."

"It's nice to see you, Hikari!" Lucy said to her. "Feeling better?"

"Much!" Hikari replied. "Tired, but better!"

"That's wonderful news." Mirajane told her. "You definitely look a lot better than you did when we saw you earlier today. Not as flushed."

"Hai, Mira-nee!"

Slipping off of Erza's back, she sat down on top of the counter, surrounded by everyone.

"Mira-nee?" Natsu asked Erza, the woman sitting near him.. "Since when did she start calling her that? And why was she riding on your back? I thought she hated all that touchy feely stuff. Oi! Hikari! Why are you-"

_-Slam!-_

In one quick motion, Erza took Natsu's head and slammed it on the counter.

"Not a word…." She told him. "Not _one_ word. She'll get all defensive if you point it out you fool."

Natsu lifted his head, rubbing it as he whined.

"B-Baka!"

"I heard Wendy cast a spell to help your cold." Lucy said. "She used the same thing on me and I was better by the next day. I'm glad to see it's working on you, too."

"Thanks!" she replied happily. "Me too. I hate being sick. I want to go on a job tomorrow, but Erza says it would be better to take one more day to relax."

"She's right about that." Lisanna added. "It would be best to rest up one more day. I know! Instead of a job, why don't we go on another one of those picnics?"

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes! We can make a day out of it. And everyone can come along." Lisanna replied, looking at the others as well.

"Sounds good to me." Gray mentioned.

"If there's gonna be food, I'm there! That's better than a job!" Piped in Natsu.

"Hmmm…speaking of jobs…Hikari?"

The child looked over at the speaker.

"Master?"

"I heard something interesting happened on your job at Mt. Hakobe, but no one shared it yet. They said you wanted to."

Hikari's eyes widened a bit when she heard this, the girl looking at her team with a little confusion.

"You guys…didn't report it? I thought we were supposed to after each job, and since Erza and I went home, I thought someone else would have done it."

"Nope." Gray told her. "We thought we'd leave this one to you."

"That's right!" Lucy added. "You deserve to share this one after all."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Natsu asked.

"I do remember you saying you wanted to tell everyone." Erza mentioned. "Especially the Master, and since we're here…"

Hikari's face lit right up, her excitement growing by the minute. That job had been one of her favorites and quite fun in her mind thanks to the little ride she took. She didn't think she'd be the one to share it because she was sick today, assuming that the others would have said something while in her absence, but they didn't, leaving her to…

"Hai Hai!" she told Makarov. "Something interesting did happen! We went looking for a chest and found it, but before we could take it and leave a Blizzardvern came out nowhere and we fought it, and we beat it good! Everyone did really great and worked together. The best part? I got to ride it, and you should have seen me ride that monster!"

"Ah, I see." He said with a smile. "Well done. You….wait…you what?! You rode a Blizzardvern!?"

The whole crew giggled at the sudden reaction, Hikari laughing along with them as she continued the story, sharing how everyone worked as a team and took him down, safely retrieving the chest and returning it to its owner. That story soon led into others, the hours passing as everyone shared their different experiences on jobs. At some point during it, Hikari had found her way back to riding on Erza's back, now sound asleep with her head nuzzled on the woman's shoulder.

"Someone was tired." Lucy said, eyeing the two with a smile.

"Yeah, poor thing." Erza replied. "She's been in and out all day. The cold really took some energy out of her."

"At least she took the day to relax." Mirajane said. "Usually that's a project to do."

"I know right?" Lucy said back. "She seems like she's changed quite a bit these past couple of months."

Erza smiled softly, peeking back at the sleeping girl behind her.

"Yeah…she definitely has."

"She still gets defensive a lot." Lisanna said. "But not as much as she used to, and she's eased up more with everyone. And look, she's fallen asleep with you in public!"

"Yeah, but you wake her up and she catches this, she'll probably start freaking out." Erza added with a smirk.

"She definitely would." Mirajane said back. "She's a stubborn one."

" _But she's my stubborn one…_ " Erza thought to herself, her gaze warm as she did so. Lucy caught this gaze and had to smile.

"You two especially have gotten really close. She still sleep with you at nights?"

"Always." Erza replied. "She doesn't exactly ask to though. It's more of…she comes up with excuses on  _why_  she needs to so she can keep refraining from asking. Excuses like…'you need to get up on time tomorrow, so I will sleep with you to make sure you do' or 'I heard you mumbling in your sleep last night. I bet you were having a bad dream. I'll sleep with you and wake you if you do so I don't have to hear you cry about it.' The one she used last night was 'you're cold and you might get sick, so I will sleep with you and help keep you warm because if you get sick, you'll whine, and I don't want to hear that."

"….Wow…." Lucy said with a giggle.

"Can't just simply ask to sleep with you, can she?" Lisanna asked.

"Oh no, can't let the world know she wants to snuggle or wants some loving." Erza replied with a smile. "She's so silly sometimes. Such a cutie…and precious…she's really precious…"

Her voice started to soften a bit as she spoke.

"You know, Hikari's really special. For her age, she's pretty smart, brave, and just…she's wonderful."

"She is." Mirajane said back. "Even during her defensive, stubborn moments. She's a good kid. Definitely one of a kind."

"Yeah…" Erza replied. "There's something about her….I don't know…just something, and every day, she brings just a little bit more happiness to my life. I love having her around…it's almost like she's….she's…"

"Your little girl?" Lucy finished.

Erza blushed a little at this, those words being some she had not yet voiced.

"Well it is obvious she's yours." Lucy continued. "I mean look at you two. Ever since she started opening up to you, you've become inseparable. She'd probably deny it, but we know it's true."

"You….you really think that it's an obvious thing she is mine?"

"Really Erza?" Mirajane asked. "Come on…you're like a Mother to that child, and whether she says so or not, she knows it, too. You Mother her like crazy and we know she loves it."

"Yeah…"

"And just because it's not official yet doesn't mean she isn't yours."

Erza's eyes widened a little at Lisanna's comment.

"O…official yet? Official as in…"

"Yes." Lisanna answered. "I think that would be a lovely idea. Have you not considered it?"

"No…I have…" she replied softly. "Just…I don't know…I worry I'd be a terrible Mother."

"Erza, you already do great with her." Lucy told her. "You take care of her, you protect her, you love her…you give her everything she needs and everything she's probably wanted. There's no need to worry about whether you'd be a good Mother or not when you are already a great one."

Erza blushed even more at this, her smile unable to leave her face.

"The thought of officially doing so has been on my mind for a while now." She told them. "But, I wanted to wait a bit longer. Not because I'm scared, but more because I wanted to give her a little more time. She still gets really nervous about things and defensive as well. The idea of family still scares her a little and I want to give her a little more time to realize that it doesn't have to anymore. I'm afraid if I tell her about…you know…right now, things would frighten her more, so I want to wait a bit longer."

"Makes sense." Mirajane replied. "A little more time might do her good. I also think it would be wonderful if you made it official. Is that what you really plan to do?"

Erza's smile grew just a little bit more, her heart flaring at the thought of it. Hikari really did bring much joy to her life and she wanted nothing more than to make the child just as happy.

"I do." She answered. "I really do. I'll keep it quiet a little bit longer, and when the time is right, I would love to ask her if she would really be mine. She means so much to me…so much. There's so much darkness in her and I want to make it go away…I will make it go away."

With the girl's head being close enough, she gently gave it a nuzzle, eyes watering up slightly as she spoke.

"I'll take all your fears away. You'll never have to be afraid of family again. You'll be safe and you'll be loved…forever…with me, and the Fairy Tail family…you'll have a real home. My Hikari….My little Hikari…I love you."


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

With a change of season on the way, the weather had become much cooler in the town of Magnolia. The leaves were beginning to change color and the fall smells from baked pies and homemade fires danced in the air. On days like this, a certain young child would always find herself outside, enjoying what the season had to offer. Today, however, she could not do that, for instead of having a cool fall day, the town was having a rainy one, the aforementioned child sitting by the guild window and peering out as the water fell onto the earth.

" _Yuki…_ "

Though she was unsure why, she had been thinking a lot more about the younger girl lately, her mind constantly full of old memories…some good, some not so good, and some just scary. Perhaps it was the guilt that had racked up inside of her that caused her to think about Yuki so much…after all, with another two months passing, she had been away from her old home for a little over a year. Had her younger sister lost faith in her? Did she still believe she was coming back? She hoped so…not once did she ever think about not returning. She just hadn't been strong enough yet, in her mind, to do so. Jerick and Akito were powerful enough on their own thanks to their illusion magic, and you mix that with her Aunt's ability to control shadows, they were a force to be reckoned with. She was lucky to have gotten out the first time.

" _But you're much stronger now…_ " she thought. " _Look how much your power has grown. No, you still can't break that rock…but you are definitely a lot stronger…and…you might not have to do this one your own anymore…_ "

Her mind flashed back to the day she had that cold and the words Erza and spoken to her. There were times where she would find it a little hard to believe that she and the whole guild would back her up, but why would Erza lie? Why would any of them lie? If she and the team all went together…

Folding her arms, she rested her head upon them, her eyes still glued to the wet scenery outside.

" _Yuki…_ " she thought again. " _Yuki…"_

" _Nee-chan!"_

_A nine year old Hikari stirred from her sleep, her brows furrowing when a familiar voice reached her ear._

_"Nee-chan!"_

_Hearing it again, she snapped awake, realizing it was the voice of Yuki from the next room, her tone a panicked one. Jetting out of bed, she raced to the next room, a loud thunder booming throughout the house from the storm outside as she whipped open the door._

_"Yuki-chan!"_

_Walking in, she found the younger girl curl up under her covers, shaking in fear. She had just begun to peek her head back out when another boom of thunder came, causing her to panic and hide again._

_"Yuki…" she said softly. She had almost forgotten how storms like this scared the little girl. Walking closer, she lifted the covers and slipped in bed, Yuki clinging instantly, wrapping her arms around her and hiding her face in the chest of the older female._

_"It's so loud…" Yuki whimpered, sniffling a little as she snuggled up close._

_"It's ok." Hikari told her comfortingly. "I promise its ok. It's not going to hurt you. It'll pass soon enough."_

_"But why can't it stop now?" she asked, sniffling still. "I don't like it…"_

_"I know, but everything will be all right. I'm right here."_

_She caressed the girl's hair softly, hugging her a little tighter to help ease her shaking. Personally, the Dragon Slayer always loved storms, finding comfort in their sounds, but poor little Yuki always got scared, hating the sound of thunder more than anything,_

_"N…nee-chan?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_Peeking up, her watery eyes locked with Hikari's deep brown ones._

_"Will you sleep with me tonight? I don't want to be alone?"_

_Hikari smiled down at the nine year old warmly. Reaching up, she wiped a single tear away from the child's cheek before placing a soft kiss on her head._

_"Of course. I won't leave your side."_

_Yuki seemed a bit more at ease hearing this, nuzzling her face in Hikari's chest once again._

_"Can you sing to me?"_

_Hikari rested her cheek on Yuki's head, her hand now gently scratching at her back. That was a question the older girl would always hear on nights the other didn't want to be alone, and she never hesitated to fulfill that request. So, after snuggling up a little more, she began to gently sing, silently praying it would ease the girl's heart._

_"Little child, be not afraid_

_Though thunder explodes and the lightening flash_

_Illuminates your tear stained face, I'm here tonight._

_My child please know that these years do show_

_The rains apart of how life goes_

_But it's dark and it's late, so I'll hold you and wait_

_Till your frightened eyes do close_

_And I hope that you know that nature is so_

_The same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls of rivers and lands, on forests and sands_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning_

_Everything's fine in the morning, the rain will be gone in the morning_

_And I'll still be here in the morning."_

_Pulling the covers up a little more, Hikari smiled. The shaking had stopped, and her breathing was much more leveled now. She was calm, and the fact she was able to do that for her younger cousin made her very much happy._

_Tired herself, she closed her eyes to sleep as well, but right before she could pass out completely, she felt the younger child nuzzle in as close as she could, four little words following this action._

_"I love you, Nee-chan."_

_Hikari couldn't help but tear up upon hearing this, her smile growing as she held the other tight. Yes, her life here was rough, yes, she got hurt often, yes, she found it hard to live some days, but…it was moments like this…these precious little moments… that helped her live on…moments that made all the bad things worth it._

_"I love you, too…Yuki-chan."_

"Hikari-chaaaaaaaan!"

Breaking from her little trance, she was suddenly attacked out of nowhere by a pair of arms, the girl now getting hugged tightly.

"L-Lisa-nee!"

"Don't forget me! I want one, too!"

" _Oomph_!"

As if one wasn't enough, yet another female came by and hugged the eleven year old as well, squeezing her tightly and nuzzling into her cheek.

"M-Mira-nee!"

"Kawaiiii!" Lisanna squeaked. "You're just so adorable. I want to keep hugging you all day!"

"But I didn't-"

"Hai hai!" Mirajane said back. "She just looked all snuggly sitting here and looking out the window. I couldn't help myself either!"

"I didn't look-"

"We really do have such an adorable little sister." Lisanna chimed. "Mira-nee, can we snuggle her all night?"

"Wait! No, you-"

"Yes! That's a perfect idea! Let's give her all the snuggles in the world! And then we can-"

"Baka!"

Hikari pulled from their grasp, standing up in her seat now and flailing her arms as she yelled at them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I told you not to hug me like that!"

"But we snuggle and hug you all the time whenever you come to visit us or when we visit you." Lisanna said with a playful pout. "Remember the other night? We came to visit you and Erza, and when it got late, you got all sleepy and fell asleep in Mira-nee's arms…"

"Shut up!" she said with a blush. "Don't say that here!"

"But it's true!" Mirajane pointed. "You snuggled up right in my arms and passed out. You were-"

"I said shut up! That was different!"

"How was that different?" Lisanna asked. "We hugged and snuggled you up now just like we did that night and a million times before."

"Because it wasn't in public! I told you not to touch me in public!"

And this was very true. Though Hikari happily and willingly accepted those sisterly and motherly like snuggles and loving behind closed doors, she hated any type of public affection. She was still too stubborn about it and didn't want others seeing her weaker side.

"What if  _I_  wanted to hug you in public?"

Another voice entered the conversation, and before the brunette had time to process who it was, she was wrapped in yet another warm hug, this time by a certain scarlet haired woman.

"E-Erza!"

"What if I really wanted to hug you in public? You wouldn't let me either?"

"B-Baka!"

The whole guild laughed at the scene between the four, Hikari still flailing and yelling at them all for their actions.

"You would seriously think she'd be used to doing it in public by now." Lucy said, shaking her head as she watched. "It's not like we haven't seen it before."

"True…" Wendy commented, sitting right beside the blonde. "I wonder why she's still so stubborn about it…"

"Will you all just get away! I swear! I will kill you all!"

The three women just giggled at this, the reaction still never getting old, hence why they gave her affection in public even if she didn't really like it. Her reaction was just too cute to see.

"Always the stubborn one." Lisanna teased.

"Of course!" Mira said back, her tone teasing as well. "She's been that way since day one. Speaking of, Hikari-chan, did you know that today marks six months for you in the guild?"

Hikari stopped her crazy cursing upon hearing this, her gaze softening a bit. She knew she had been there about six months, but today marked her monthly anniversary of joining? She didn't even keep track of that…how come they remembered?

"That's right." Erza piped in, eyeing the girl with warmth. "It is. Six months ago today, we first met right outside. Six months ago today, I saw my Hikari-chan."

She remembered that day, two boys from town picking on her when they saw her staring at the guild. That was the first time in her life she had seen any adult look at her with such warmth, and to this day, Erza still looked at her that way…her, Mirajane, Lisanna, and more, too.

"And how lucky are we to have you?" Lisanna said with a smile, Hikari blushing upon hearing this.

" _How lucky they are?_ "

Those words rang through the child's head for a moment, some mild confusion setting in. She didn't understand how they would consider themselves lucky when, though she wouldn't admit it to them, it was the other way around. They weren't lucky to have her in her mind, she was lucky to have them. She was always such a stubborn one and mostly a pain, but they cared for her anyways, and over time, she had slowly eased up and could be herself a little more. There were still things she needed to work on and thing she wished didn't bother her anymore, but for the most part, she had changed. Six months ago, she never would have imagined calling other people "sister" or snuggling up and falling asleep with someone who was like a Mother to her.

"Oh, hey look!" Lisanna said brightly, suddenly looking out the window. "The rain stopped."

Turning, Hikari found that indeed it had cleared up. It was still gray outside, but the rain had come to an end. This was perfect in the young girl's mind, providing a much needed opening.

"Good." She told them, jumping down from the chair. "I'm going for a walk before you guys start infecting me with your craziness. You guys should probably get out, too. I think being in the building for so long is starting to get to you head."

"Can we hug and kiss you good-bye?" Mirajane asked.

"You really want to die…don't you…" Hikari asked lowly. 

The three only laughed at this, Hikari turning and heading for the door.

"Baka…I'll be back later."

And with that, she left.

"I'm amused she still gets that way when we hug her in public." Mirajane said when she left. "Soon enough she'll get used to it I suppose. She has with everything else."

Erza eyed the girl through the window as she walked away, a little bit of sadness in her gaze.

" _She still can't take it…_ "

"Erza…" Lisanna said, noticing this. "Are you all right?"

"…Yeah." She replied back softly. "Just…thinking."

"You're still afraid to tell her…aren't you…"

Mirajane knew what was going through the other's mind when she asked this, the scarlet haired woman letting out a sigh in reply.

"Not so much afraid to tell her…more of being afraid of her reaction. You just saw how she still gets when you love on her in public…what makes you think she won't freak out when she hears what I have to say?"

Ever since she brought up to the takeover siblings about her want to adopt the other, it became an everyday topic between them, Hikari unknowing to all of this. The brunette was unaware of Erza's desire to do so and, being oblivious to most emotional related things, had no idea just how deeply the woman had loved her and wanted her around…how much she really looked at the young child as a daughter.

"She'd push away, I know it…she'd push away and I'd lose everything I already have with her."

"She wouldn't push away." Mirajane said back. "She might get a little nervous, but that's only natural. You're offering to become her Mother…her family, for life. Of course that's going to make her nervous a bit, especially in knowing how she is, but pushing her away, losing everything you have, that won't happen. I know it won't."

"How can you be so sure?" Erza asked, her eyes glazing over slightly. "She's like a daughter to…no…she  _is_  my daughter, and I'd be devastated if I scared her away all because of something I said."

This fear was great in her. She loved that girl so much and didn't want to lose her, and knowing most of her history when it came to family, she was afraid that if she said something about adopting her, it would make her way too nervous and she would run off.

"Erza…." Lisanna said softly. "You really don't need to fear that. We all know how much you love her and how much of a daughter she is to you. Do you honestly think that love isn't reciprocated? That Hikari doesn't love you back?"

The older woman looked at the younger sibling, her eyes still all glazed up.

"She loves you Erza." She continued. "More than you think. She may not say it, but her actions clearly show it. Yes, she might freak out when you love on her in public, but she happily welcomes it when you guys are alone. Who does she sleep with at night because she feels safe? Who does she hug and cling to when she needs someone? Who was the first person she really told about her nightmares and about her past? It's true she comes to Mira-nee and I as well, but not as much as you. You two have a very special connection. Regardless of how nervous or how scared she might get, she really, really loves you. There's nothing you can say to scare her off."

Erza's heart staring flaring as she listened.

"Li…sanna…"

"She's right." Mirajane added. "She does love you, and not just as anyone, but as a Mother. To be honest, I think the reaction she will have is completely opposite of what you fear."

"You do?"

"I do." Mirajane replied to the woman. "I think that by telling her you want to adopt her, any fear or insecurity she has might go away. She'll end up seeing just how deeply loved and wanted she is and it will help make her fear disappear. As we said, she might get nervous seeing as it is a new situation, but I think she will be happy and touched to hear such a thing and will ease into it quickly. There's no need to worry about you pushing her away. You've done so much already to change her life, Erza…and she loves you. She won't run…I know it."

That warmth flaring in her heart grew as she listened to them, what little confidence she had growing as well. They were right…Her and Hikari were just too inseparable for the child just to run off at that news. If she told her, Hikari would probably do what Mirajane and Lisanna said and welcome it.

" _Maybe…just maybe…_ "

Just maybe…things would be all right. Maybe her fears weren't necessary after all.

The two siblings could see Erza's eyes shine now, both smiling when they saw a gleam of hope replacing her sadness.

"I take it you'll be telling her soon then?" Lisanna asked.

"Yeah…" the scarlet haired woman replied. She had been holding it back long enough. The time to tell her was drawing near. "I will. When the right time comes along, I'll tell her. Soon enough, she'll know."

* * *

"I swear…one of these days…"

Hikari wandered off to a nearby lake, plopping down to the ground with a sigh.

"What's their issue? Why are they all so lovey all the time?"

She didn't get it. She had told them time and time again that she didn't like the public display of affection, especially seeing as some people would stare and call it cute and what not, but they didn't seem to listen.

"Damn…sister-like...people…and…and…"

Her mumbles stopped short, the word coming next being one she could never bring herself to utter.

" _Mother…_ "

Pulling her knees to her chest, she hugged them tightly and rested her chin upon them, eyes locked onto the unmoving lake before her. A few times before she had uttered that word casually, but when it came to saying it in regards to Erza…

" _You can't look at her that way. You're not supposed to…she's not yours after all…_ "

Being with Erza and being mothered by her the way she had been during her time with Fairy Tail made the eleven year old happier than she could ever imagine. Unless it was Yuki, she usually hated anything family related. However, thanks to Erza, as well as the other guild members, her hate for it slowly faded…the guild becoming family to her, Mirajane and Lisanna close sisters, and Erza like a…

" _Don't do it. Don't think about it, don't say it…you can't. You can't assume such things. You may look at her like a Mother, but she doesn't view you as a daughter. Why would she?"_

Granted, Erza's actions would tell the girl otherwise, but she didn't quite see it. Her mind was too busy running through reason why the woman  _wouldn't_  look at her like a daughter to pay attention to the legit motherly affection behind every action Erza took. She was also stuck on a thought she had come up with a few years before…a reason why she could never have that something she truly desired…

" _I don't deserve a Mother…"_

_Ten year old Yuki looked up at the older female with some mild confusion. Like many times in the past, the two had snuck out late at night to look at the sky, counting stars and finding as many constellations as they could. This night was slightly different though, for the topic of family had come up. Yuki was already knew most of Hikari's past, but when the subject of Mother's came into play, she was about to learn something she had not known._

_"What do you mean you don't deserve one?"_

_"I just don't."_

_Yuki lay in silence for a moment, eying the other with worry. She could see sadness in those baby browns, something she did not like in the slightest._

_"So, what happens if someone comes along and wants to be your Mother?"_

_This caused the older girl to turn her gaze from the sky to her little cousin, eye brow cocked at the comment._

_"That will never happen."_

_"But what if it does?" she asked again. "What if suddenly someone comes along and wants to be your Mother?"_

_Hikari kept her gaze on the girl for a moment before returning it to the sky, letting out a little sigh._

_"I would ignore her."_

_"You'd ignore someone who wanted to love you and be your Mother?"_

_"I told you I didn't deserve one."_

_"Why do you think that?"_

_The brunette's heart began to ache a little as the reason floated in her mind, the old guilt feeling returning. There was a very good reason why she didn't deserve one and she would never let herself think otherwise._

_"Simple." She answered. "It's not something I think…it's something I know. And I know this because….because I killed my Mother."_

_Yuki's eyes widened when she heard this, the young girl sitting up from the grassy patch she was laying on. No way, Hikari wasn't a killer. She wasn't that type of person. She'd never kill anyone._

_"That's a lie…" Yuki said softly. "You're lying to me."_

_"I'm not." She said back, her stare a most serious one. "I killed her."_

_Yuki still couldn't believe it. Hikari was not that kind of person, but with that serious stare…_

_"But…but how?"_

_"Just from being born."_

_Silence fell between them yet again, Yuki's thoughts racing._

_"Wait…she died giving birth to you?"_

_Hikari nodded._

_"Yes, she did. She gave me life, and in return, I took hers…a burden and a murderer from the start."_

_"What? But no! That doesn't make you a murderer! You didn't do it on purpose…she wanted to give life to you!"_

_"At the cost of hers? I don't think so…"_

_"All Mothers are willing to give their life for their children. It's because they love them that much."_

_"I highly doubt she loved me."_

_"No! That's not true! She loved you enough to give you life! I bet she's watching over you right now, loving you and celebrating that you're living."_

_Hikari could only snicker._

_"Oh yeah…she's watching over me all right….watching over me and thinking about how she wasted her own life for a worthless one like mine-"_

_"Stop it!"_

_Those words the young girl screamed out, echoing across the hills. Taken off guard by it, she looked back at the girl and saw tears in her eyes, those tears falling down her cheeks. Instantly, she too sat up._

_"Yuki-chan…"_

_"Just stop…" she whimpered. "You're life's not worthless…I don't care what my Mother or Akito or Jerick say…it's not worthless at all…not to your Mother…and not to me…"_

_"Yuki-chan, I-"_

_"Don't you dare say that…" she spoke, her tears coming faster. "You're my nee-chan….mine…and I don't know what I would have done without you. I love you, nee-chan…so please…don't ever think your life is worthless…"_

_Without a second thought, she scooped up the younger female in her arms and held her tight._

_"I'm sorry…" she said softly. "I didn't mean it that way…I mean, I…I don't know what I meant. Please, Yuki-chan, don't think that you aren't important to me. I didn't mean for it to seem that way. You're the best cousin…no, little sister anyone could ask for. It's I who wouldn't know what to do without you. I'm sorry, Yuki-chan…I didn't mean to say what I did…I'm sorry…"_

_Sniffling, Yuki looked up with her watery black eyes._

_"I love you so much, nee-chan."_

_"I love you, too." Hikari said softly, kissing her on the forehead. "I love you, too."_

_Leaning back a little, Yuki reached up and wiped her eyes._

_"Nee-chan?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"If someone ever comes along and wants to be your Mother, promise me you'll let them?"_

_"What?" Hikari asked, a little shocked at the question. "But…that's never going to happen. I-"_

_"Please…" she whimpered, looking up at the other pleadingly. "You deserve a Mother more than you think. I want you to have a Mother."_

_"But you're all the family I need. You and Atlas, well, when I find him again. Just you two."_

_"Promise me…nee-chan…promise me…"_

_Hikari didn't know what else to say. Yuki's eyes were still glazed up and it broke her heart to see her cry, even more so in knowing that she was the reason why. She knew that she'd never find a Mother, but to ease the young girl's heart and tears._

_"Hai…" she said, hugging her again. "I promise…I promise."_

"Hikari?"

Snapping from her thoughts, a memory she hadn't thought about in forever, she turned to find herself facing none other than Erza herself.

"Erza?"

The woman smiled, walking closer to the younger female.

"I've been looking for you. Are you all right?"

"Um, yeah, I'm all right. Just thinking."

Erza noticed the girl did this a lot; especially lately…she always seemed to be off in her little world.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

The brunette simply shook her head.

"No. It was just random thoughts. You were looking for me?"

The woman smiled, deciding not to push what Hikari could have been thinking about. If she needed to talk about it at some point, she knew she always could.

"Yeah, I was. I'm about to head into town to pick up some vegetables for tonight's dinner. Would you like to come?"

Believe it or not, little gestures such as simply accompanying Erza to town to buy a few things always warmed the girl right up. It told her that she was thought about and that her presence was wanted by the other, and she liked that. Flashing a small smile back, she nodded.

"Yeah, I'll come. I'll help pay for the food, too."

Erza snickered, expecting this comment.

"Yeah no. That's not happening."

"But Erza…if I'm going to be eating it, too-"

"Nope nope nope!" she said back, poking the girl in the forehead. "You ask every time to help pay and the answer is always the same."

"That's because I am always having meals with you."

"And I like it when you do." She told her. "I love cooking for two and it makes me happy to do so for you, so there is no need to help pay."

"But-"

"Dinner's on me as always." She said with a wink. "You're my Hikari. Let me spoil you."

Hikari grumbled a bit when she heard this, but accepted the answer, knowing full well she'd lose this argument as she always did. Instead of fending for herself with food, Erza started cooking meals, including Hikari in every time she did so. It was only a few times a week in the beginning, but now it was every day, the child spending more time there than she did her own apartment. Eating there, relaxing there, sleeping there…she practically lived with Erza and the woman loved every moment of it.

"Come on then, cutie." Erza told her, holding out her hand. Hikari blushed at this, cursing under her breath and taking the woman's hand.

"I'm not cute….baka."

Once she was up, she attempted to pull her hand away, but Erza's grasp became a little tighter, causing the young girl to freeze up a bit. Oh yes, it was happening again. Very often, especially when they were out somewhere, if her hand found its way into the woman's, the other would always try to hold it, derping the eleven year old every time. Most people would see this as a simple gesture and find it to not be a big deal, but for the Dragon Slayer, it was a huge one. Though she never said it, she had always wanted to hold hands with Erza while they walked about, kind of like what other kids did with their parents when they were running errands. It was just a sight that warmed her up, and with her and Erza getting closer and closer every day, she found herself wanting to do so more and more, but…

" _I can't do it…_ " she thought as she stood there, debating whether or not to keep her hand in place. " _I want to…I really want to…and I know she wants me to as well, but…she's not my Mother, and I'm not her kid. I can't look at her that way, I just can't…_ "

With being unable to allow herself to look at Erza that way, she couldn't go through with the simple task. It was  _only_  something kids did with their parents, and since she was still under the impression that Erza didn't look at her like her child, and in being too scared to look at the other as a Mom…

"I swear, no matter how many times I tell you I hate public affection, you never seem to get it." Pulling her hand away, she crossed her arms over her chest, playing the tough act as usual. Erza, also expecting this, simply giggled and shrugged.

"Hey, it was worth a shot, right?"

"Baka."

"Yeah, yeah…" she said with a playful smirk. "All right, come on."

And with that, the two took off, heading right into town.

"So what are you cooking anyways?" she asked, the two arriving and making their way to a nearby vegetable stand.

"Just a soup. It's a bit cold today, so I thought something warm like that would be nice. Sound good?"

"Yeah!" Hikari replied, happy to hear it. A good bowl of homemade vegetable soup sounded perfect, especially with the weather getting cooler. It'd warm her right up, and in doing so, most likely make her feel snuggly…that snuggle urge something she would happily fulfill with the woman when dinner was over.

"What kind of vegetables should we have?" Erza asked.

"Hmmm…" The girl looked through the cart, eyeing the different freshly grown products in front of her. There were quite a bit to pick from, but there were certain ones she was craving for.

"Carrots…definitely carrots, green beans, no peas…peas are gross…potatoes! And some tomatoes too!"

"Corn?"

"Mhm!" she answered, the woman picking through the ones mentioned and placing them in a bag the seller offered to her. "Oh! And and and leeks! We have to have leeks!"

Leeks were Hikari's absolute favorite, probably one of her weaknesses. She'd eat them all the time if she could.

"We have to have your leeks." The woman replied with a giggle. "They're down there…wanna go pick some out?"

"Hai hai!" she replied, heading a little farther down to where the leeks were.

" _Leeks leeks leeks!_ " she thought as she happily picked some out. Oh yes, nothing was good unless there were leeks. This was going to be one of the best soups ever.

"Mommy!"

Pulling her from her thoughts of her favorite vegetable was a little girl that stood quite close by, her Mother with her. The two were looking at some green peppers that were placed right near the leeks.

"Mommy look!"

"I see." The Mother said with a smile. "Green peppers, your favorite!"

"Yeah! Can we get some to use for the salad tonight? Please?"

"Of course, silly." The woman replied. "Go on, you can pick the ones you want."

"Hai hai! You're the best, Mommy!"

And with that, the little girl hugged her tightly before picking the peppers she had wanted. In watching this, Hikari could help but smile, finding the whole scene to be adorable.

" _They're so close…_ " she thought.

Mixed with the cute feelings however, was also a yearning…a desire to have what she saw as well. Mommy had never been a word in her vocabulary, and every time she saw a little scene like this, it always made her heart ache. She wanted something like that so badly…to call someone by that name…to have someone she could…

"Did you find the ones you liked?"

Hikari jumped at the voice, turning to find the scarlet haired woman behind her.

" _Mother…_ "

The brunette's heart froze. No matter when or where she thought about the word Mother, Erza always seemed to pop up, and at this point, Hikari's heart couldn't take it anymore. The yearning was getting to strong and she found her ability to fight it off waning. What could she do? She loved Erza like a Mother, but couldn't say it…couldn't allow it to be that way. She didn't deserve one, right?

" _If someone ever comes along and wants to be your Mother, promise me you'll let them?"_

Yuki's words rang through her mind, setting off her emotions even more.

" _But she doesn't want to be your Mother…why would she want a kid like you? You can't look at her that way…you can't…_ "

"Hikari, are you all right?"

The girl broke from her thoughts, her mind slightly dazed before she got a better hold of herself to answer.

"Um…yeah, sorry. Uh...leeks, I have the leeks. Is three ok?"

Erza eyed her with a little worry, but let it go, smiling and nodding instead.

"Yeah, three's perfect." She said, taking them from the girl and slipping them in the bag. "Looks like we got all we need. I'll just pay for these and we can run them home. It's still a bit early to start dinner, so I was going to head back to the guild after dropping them off. Wanna join me there, too?"

"Uh, yeah…I will…"

"All right, then I'll be right back." She turned to go pay, but right before she did, she eyed the young girl with deep warmth, the gaze striking Hikari right in the heart.

"I'm really glad you came along with me. I love spending time with you. Thank you for coming along."

"Um…" Hikari shuttered out. "I…"

"You're the best, Hikari-chan. I love you."

Yep, that did her in. It wasn't the first time she heard those words from the other, but with her mind and emotions still being caught on whether it was ok to look at her like a Mother and so on, it was just a little too much to handle, so in the end…

"I'm sorry…"

Erza looked at her with confusion.

"You're sorry?"

"Yeah…"

"For what?"

"Um…I have to go. I mean, I'll j-join you at the guild, b-but I need to go somewhere first…"

"Now?"

"Yeah…I mean, I-it's important…and just…I have to go…"

"Well, ok, but-"

"I'm sorry. I'll see you back at the guild."

And before anything else could be said, she took off, running as fast as she could to get away. She felt extremely bad for doing so and knew that she probably hurt Erza a little by running off, but she had to leave…she had to think again, leaving her to escape back to the lake.

" _I can't do it….I can't….She's not my Mother, so how can I get anymore loving? How can I let her keep Mothering me and saying that she loves me? I don't deserve it…but, I'm so happy with her…and she's happy, too._ "

Her heart was all over the place, and in arriving at the lake, she planned to sit and think it all out, but when she got there, she soon found she was not alone, her normal spot taken by another figure.

"Lisa-nee?"

Blue eyes gazed up at the brunette, a smile accompanying it.

"Well hi Hikari-chan!"

Hikari made her way over until she was standing next to the girl.

"Hi….what…what are you doing here?"

"I come here to think sometimes." She answered. "Sitting here by the lake is really peaceful."

"I come here to think, too." Hikari said back softly. "It's nice to watch, and I like the smell of this area."

"See, I knew you were my little sister. Why don't we sit here together?"

The girl gave a small smile, nodding and taking a seat by the other.

"You doing all right today?" Lisanna asked.

"Yeah, things are fine."

"That's good to hear." The woman said back. "I always like knowing you're doing well. I'm surprised to run into you though."

"You are?"

"Mhm. I thought you'd be out with Erza. She told Mira-nee and I she was going to find you and ask if you wanted to go with her to shop for dinner ingredients tonight. I figured you'd go along."

Hikari pulled her gaze away from Lisanna and eyed the lake, letting out a small sigh.

"I did go."

"Oh! Back already then?"

"Yeah, all we needed were some vegetables. They didn't take long to pick out. We were going to drop them off at home for now and then head back to the guild."

"But you came here instead?"

"Hai…I meant to go back with her, but…"

Hikari went quiet, a saddened look on her face.

" _But I couldn't stay…I like staying with her too much…but I can't really like it, can I? I mean, it's getting too hard to hold back the feelings of loving her like a Mother, and I have to fight those….but I can't help but feel them…what do I do?_ "

She was really confused on how she was supposed to feel. To love someone like a Mother, you would need to be loved back as a daughter, and what reason would Erza have to do that?

"Hikari?"

The brunette looked back at the white haired female, Lisanna sporting a worried look at the saddened one Hikari had on her face.

"Hikari…is there something wrong?"

The girl shuffled a little, shyness taking over her. She still struggled from time to time to talk about what was on her mind and how she felt, but over time, her courage had grown as well as her trust of those around her, leaving her to do so despite her struggle.

"Lisa-nee?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something without you thinking badly of me?"

"I could never think bad of you, Hikari."

"You might when I tell you this…"

"Try me."

Hikari took a deep breath, Erza being the only one she had shared this small piece of information with. Granted, the takeover siblings did know some information about her past, but others bits were kept secret…this one she was about to share in particular.

"Well…remember how I told you once my parents died when I was little?"

"Yes, I do."

"I never told you how they died. See, my Father was killed protecting me. A band of thieves had raided my village and he ran off into the woods with me in his arms. He had placed me down to fight one that had followed, but was killed. I would have been killed, too, but that's when Atlas came along. He took me in right after, raised me, and well, you know the rest. My Mother…my Mother was a different story…"

Hikari hugged her knees to her chest, looking back out at the lake.

"Lisa-nee…my Mother's dead because…well, because I killed her…"

Lisanna's eyes widened a bit when she heard this, her heart almost stopping.

"K-killed her?"

"Yeah..."

"I don't believe it, Hikari."

"I'm not lying...I did..."

Lisanna had trouble processing what the girl was telling her.

"But...I don't get it...how?" The woman asked.

"She died giving birth to me, you see. I never knew her, but I am the reason she is dead."

Lisanna was in shock at first upon hearing that the girl had killed her Mother, almost disbelieving of it, but when she heard the rest, the shock faded, her heart breaking. She was right to disbelieve that Hikari was a killer.

"Hikari…your Mother dying to give birth to you doesn't make you a murderer."

"Doesn't it? I'm the reason she's dead. How doesn't that make me her killer?"

Lisanna let out a small sigh, scooting closer to the brunette.

"It just doesn't. Let me tell you something. As sad and as unfortunate as it is, Mothers have died giving life to their children. It is hard to think about, but it does happen. That doesn't make the children killers though. They shouldn't live their lives thinking that. Instead, they should live a happy life, and live it to the fullest."

Hikari eyed the other with a little confusion.

"They…should?"

"Mhm! See, the only thing on a Mother's mind when giving birth is to make sure you come out alive and healthy. They want you to live. However, if for some reason, after you are born, they cannot be around to help you live it, then they wish that you continue living happily and healthy without them, that you find the best you can in life…that if they cannot be there to love and Mother you, that hopefully someone else will."

Hikari had never really looked at it that way before. She had always thought that she was a killer, destroying the one person who brought her into this world and assumed that living a happy life was out of the question because of it.

"So…you don't think she hates me?"

"No, of course not. Hikari, to give life to a child requires an immense amount of one thing….and that's love. She loved you so much that she _wanted_  to give you life, and watching over you now, she still loves you."

Hikari could feel her eyes tearing up, hiding her face as a way to help hold them back. So she wasn't a murderer? She didn't kill her Mother? She was given life because she was loved?

" _So…does that mean…"_

Peeking out, she locked gazes with the other.

"That if they cannot be there to love and Mother you, that hopefully someone else will…does…does that mean I deserve a Mother after all?"

"Hikari…"

Lisanna wrapped her arms around the young child, holding her close and kissing the top of her head gently.

"You most definitely deserve one…did you really think otherwise?"

"Well…yeah. I thought that since I killed my own, I didn't deserve to be loved that way by another…"

"No, that is not true at all. You more than deserve it. If there is someone out there who is loving you and Mothering you without any second thought at all, don't run from it. Run to it, run to it knowing you deserve every bit of that love and let yourself have it."

"Even…even if it's Erza I have those types of feelings for?"

Lisanna smiled warmly, her chest warming upon hearing the other say those words.

"Most definitely…Erza loves you so much and cares about you more than you know."

"But does she love me like a daughter? How can I look at her that way and feel that way when I don't even know if she loves and looks at me like her…kid?"

"Are you kidding me?" the woman asked, cocking a brow. She was actually slightly amused the girl was so oblivious. "You really don't think she loves you like a daughter?"

"Well…I mean, I'm such a pain an all. Always snapping when she gives me affection in public and I still struggle with some things…plus, I am extremely stubborn. Who would want a daughter like that?"

"She would. I should smack you upside the head for thinking she didn't love you like that. Do you even see how happy she gets when you're around?"

"Well, I-"

"Do you understand the joy she gets when you stay with her at nights, have dinner with her, snuggle with her, and spend time with her?"

"I-"

"And do you even realize how much she talks about you?"

Hikari lifted her head, brows furrowing slightly when she heard this.

"She talks about me?"

"All the time! I can't tell you everything she says, but I will say it's always good. And she always has this glow to her when she does, always smiling, too!"

"She's…really happy with me? You really think she loves me that way?"

"I don't think it…" she said softly, a smile gracing her face. "I know it."

Hikari could feel her chest flaring up ten times more than it ever had. Something had broken inside her, leaving her happier than she had ever been. She wasn't a killer, she could look at Erza like a Mother, and…and she was loved right back….loved as a daughter.

"Lisa-nee…"

The girl now slipped both of her arms around her, embracing the eleven year old in a hug.

"Now you know…" the woman whispered after kissing her on the cheek. "Don't hold back anymore, Hikari. Your Mother gave you life and died in hopes you would live it….do it, Hikari-chan….go on…live…"

The younger girl squeezed the other just as tight back, sniffling a little.

"Thank you, Lisa-nee…"

And with those words in mind, she stood up, running at the speed of light through the grass and back into the town, making her way over to the guild. She knew what she wanted to do…something she had always wanted to, and now with the fear gone, she could. She could do it…she didn't have to hide it anymore.

" _I won't…I won't hide….not anymore...I want you…._ "

Soon enough, she reached the guild, entering and immediately spotting the scarlet haired woman. After composing herself a little, she found a nearby chair and climbed on it, standing up. She'd do this.

"Erza!"

The woman turned upon hearing her name, finding that it was the brunette who had done so.

"Hikari?"

"Come here."

Hikari crossed her arms over the chest and shot her a stern glare.

"Hikari…." She said, slightly confused. "Are you-"

"I said come here."

Though unsure of where this was going, she stood from her seat, heading in the young girl's direction. Had she done something wrong after all? Hikari did run from her back at the town. Was it something she said? Was it something she did?

When she was only inches from the girl, she stopped, brows furrowed with a little worry.

"Hikari…is everything ok?"

"Erza…"

The girl continued eyeing the other sternly, giving off the vibe that she was upset at the woman for something. However, that's exactly what Hikari had wanted, for at the very last second, her stern glare turned into a smirk, and before Erza could process what was going on…

"Kyaa!"

Without warning, the girl jumped into the woman's arms, wrapping her own around Erza's neck and hugging her tight. Quick reflexes allowed the woman to catch her, though she was really taken off guard by the action.

"Hikari, you-"

"My Erza…" the little girl said softly, nuzzling into the woman's scarlet locks.

A blush suddenly grew on Erza's face, her heart skipping a beat as her chest filled with warmth. Was this actually happening? Did Hikari just say 'My Erza?'

"I'm sorry I left you back there, but I'm here now, and if it's ok, I'd like to just stay. I really want to be with you."

"Wha…o-of course you can stay with me. I just…um"

"Good." She said, still hugging the woman, and, just to throw her off even more, she placed a gentle kiss on Erza's cheek. "Cause I really don't want to leave you. I like spending time with you."

Where it was usually Hikari who blushed and derped like crazy, it was Erza who did so now, the kiss on the cheek the last thing she saw coming. It was completely unlike the child and she wondered what got into her.

"Hikari…chan…"

While all this was happening, Erza caught the gaze of a certain blue eyed female leaning on the entrance door.

" _Lisanna…_ "

The woman just winked, smiling at the two, Erza's gaze softening from shock as she smiled back. She wasn't entirely sure what happened, but right now, it didn't matter. Right now, the girl wanted her and showed no fear in saying so by words and by actions. The girl wanted some loving, and she would happily give it.

"Hikari…."

Wrapping the girl up tighter, she kissed the girl's cheek right back, nuzzling her own face into her brown locks. The woman was pulled into a super snuggly mode, ready to kidnap the girl and go back home, but another thought passed through her mind, causing her to giggle a bit.

"You know, people are watching…"

The eleven year old was already aware of that, shocked and happy stares gazing in their direction, but she didn't care. Not at this point. She was just happy to be in the woman's arms, and for once, having no fears at all.

"I know, but that doesn't bother me. Let them."

Leaning back, she smiled in Erza's direction.

"I don't care where I am. If I want to give you some loving, I'm going to give it."

Erza's eyes glazed over at this comment, her smile growing a little more.

"My Hikari-chan…" she whispered, leaning in and resting her forehead on the child's.

"Mhm…" she replied back softly. "Yours…"

"My...Hikari..."

"Hai hai! My Erza!"

"...Can you...can you be my Hikari-chan forever?"

Those words the older woman didn't plan to say, but in the moment, she couldn't help it. Whatever fear she had about saying these things were now gone, now coming out so easily as if she never had a problem at all.

"Forever?"

"Forever…" the woman said back softly. "Forever…I want to keep you."

Hikari's eyes widened at this, her heart suddenly stopping. Did she just hear right? Did Erza just say what she thought she just did?

"Wh…what?"

With everyone else who was watching now going back to their conversations, Erza carried the girl over to a quiet corner, Hikari slipping out of her arms and sitting on top of a table, the woman right in front of her. Erza slipped her hand into the brunettes and held it tight, her look full of nothing but love and warmth. It was ok to say what she had wanted to now. She was ready, Hikari was ready, and everything would be all right, any fear of bad things coming from it gone.

"Erza?"

"You know you're my Hikari-chan, right?"

The girl nodded, blushing a little from the look.

"Yeah…and…and you're my Erza…"

"Yes…but…I want to be more than just your Erza…"

Hikari shuffled in her seat a little.

"What do you mean?"

Taking her other hand, she reached and grabbed for Hikari's free one, holding them both now in her own.

"Hikari-chan…..you need to know just how amazing you are. I have never met a little girl like you before. You're strong, you're smart, you're funny, and so full of life and love even if you don't think so. I see it all the time and I love it…I love you, my little Hikari-chan. You make me so happy and I can't help but smile every day…and I want to make you as happy as you make me…forever. Hikari, the thing is…well, what I am trying to say is…I want you to be…to be mine. To really be mine. I want you to be…my daughter."

For the child, it felt like time had stopped. Her heart, her breathing, everything just froze. There was no mistaking in what Erza was trying to say, but to her? She had, thanks to the help from Lisanna, come to the conclusion that she was loved like a daughter by this woman, but to actually  _become_  her daughter…to take her last name…Erza wanted that? Erza wanted…her? Like really wanted her?

" _Her daughter....her daughter..."_

"M-me?" Hikari stuttered out. "You want…me?"

"No one else but you…" Erza told her. "I love you so much and would love nothing more than to be your…your Mother."

The tears that were already falling down the girl's face now came at a much faster pace. There was no stopping these tears no matter how hard she tried. She was wanted…really really wanted. She knew very well she loved Erza like a Mother, but for the woman to actually want to keep her and be her Mother, she just didn't see it coming, mostly because a thought like that was just too good to be true, but now, it was right in front of her. That unspoken dream of having a home and having a Mother…something she had never had before, was in the palm of her hands.

"You…w-want to a…a…adopt…me?"

Erza leaned in and rested her forehead on the girl's yet again, her smile still so warm and full of love.

"Yes…I want you. I want you to be my little girl. I mean, I think Hikari Scarlet does have a ring to it, don't you think? Ne…what do you say?"

" _Hikari….Scarlet._ "

Those words rang through her mind, her heart doing flips as she thought of them.

" _Hikari…Scarlet…"_

It was…it was perfect. She could have a home…a real home. A real Mother, a family, everything. She could call someone by that name and be forever loved by her. It was something she had yearned and ached for as long as she could remember, just thought she'd never be able to have it, but she could now. She could have what she wanted with someone who made her feel more than special and happier than she could have ever imagined. It was a dream come true.

"Erza…"

She locked gazes with the other set of baby browns, tears coming down the woman's face as well, but they were happy tears just like her own. She could be hers now…she could be hers.

" _Hikari Scarlet…Hikari Scarlet…_ "

"My Hikari, will you do me the honors of being my daughter?"

With happiness in her heart and a flame in her chest, the young Dragon Slayer smiled like she never had before. She wanted everything the woman had offered, and for once, she wouldn't run. For once, she would live.

"Erza…I…I…"

"Master!"

The moment was suddenly broken by Mirajane's voice, the woman bursting from the back room with a paper in her hand. The Master, who had been sitting on the counter, looked back at the panic strict woman with confusion in his gaze.

"Mirajane?"

"Master, they're specifically asking for us."

"Who is specifically asking for us?"

Reaching him, she handed him the paper that was in her hand, the old man glancing down at it upon receiving it. Moments after, his eyes widened, this news being something he hoped he wouldn't hear.

"Gaimeka…"

"That demon we were talking about the other day?" Lucy asked, the blond woman sitting nearby.

"The one who was once sealed away but is free now." Gray added. "What about him?"

"He's left the other region and come into ours." The master replied.

"What?" Lucy asked. "He's in our area now?"

"When did that happen?" Gray asked.

"Last night." Makarov answered. "The Fairy Tail guild is specifically being asked to handle this job. Apparently the last guild was unable to defeat him."

"Bring it!" Natsu shouted. "I'll go! I bet I can kick his ass!"

"It's an S class job." The man told him.

"But I want to do this!" Natsu said back. "I know I can!"

"Where is he now?" Gray asked.

"He just left the town of Cardona…apparently they're in shambles. According to them, he headed north, right in the direction of Kyrioshi."

"That's about two days away, isn't it?" Lucy asked.

" _This isn't good…_ "

With their little moment coming to a small halt, Erza had overheard what was going on, the news not being good. If it was an S class mission, especially of this magnitude, there was a good chance she would be the one to go on it, something she didn't exactly want to do right after what she and Hikari would soon be doing. She of course would go on it if need be, just…

"Wait…what town did you just say?"

Hikari's voice broke her from her thoughts, the child now slipping down from the table, making her way over to the Master.

"Hikari…" Erza called. "What are-"

"I said what town….what town did you just say?"

The warm look that was on her face had now changed, worry and fear now replacing it as she eyed the Master intently. Erza wondered why it had mattered to the child.

" _Well…that town name does sound familiar….where did I hear it before?_ "

"I said he just left Cardona and is now heading north, right in the direction of a town called Kyrioshi."

" _Kyrioshi…"_   Erza though. " _Kyrioshi_ …"

That name was extremely familiar, but she couldn't pinpoint where she had heard it. It wasn't until a minute or so later did it finally hit the woman.

" _I asked her if she knew where Atlas was, but she had no idea what I was talking about. She took me in for a bit, but she was old and couldn't take care of me, nor could anyone else in the village, so she got in contact with the only family I had left. My Aunt who lived in Kyrioshi…_ "

A pang of fear suddenly ran through her heart.

" _Oh no…"_

That had been where Hikari was living prior to running away over a year ago. She had lived with a terrible Aunt, getting treated badly by her and her two butlers, but there was also…

" _Her Daughter…you said you specifically served her and took care of her. You also…protected her? Is this the person you were talking about a few weeks back…when you said that there was someone you needed to protect…were you talking about her?"_

Hikari's precious person….the person Hikari had hinted that was the one she still had to protect. That person was still…

"Hikari!"

But Hikari did not hear her voice. Upon hearing the repeat of where the demon was headed, her eyes had widened, a great fear and guilt now rising in her system. Her heart clenched at the thought of a demon…a demon the Master had just got done saying left the last town it had been in shambles…was now heading that way…was now heading towards her Aunt…those butlers…her old home…and…the one she was supposed to protect…that girl…her little sister…

" _I'll go…I'll go somewhere safe…for you…but hear me now. I will come back. I will leave here, get stronger, and I will defeat Jerick, Akito, and your Mother, and then I will take you. I'll do it…I promise…"_

_"Yuki…"_


	7. Yuki

"Hikari…."

Though the woman had made her way up to the stunned female, the child still took no notice, her brown eyes glued onto the Master. Her body was shaking slightly as she let the news sink in. This demon…this demon that had just got done destroying an entire town…was now heading in the direction of her old home? She could care less what happened to her Aunt or the butlers…but that girl…her precious little sister…if anything happened to her…

"I need to go…I have to take this job."

Makarov simply raised a brow at this; partly curious on why she would say such a thing.

"It's an S-class mission. You're not eligible for this job."

"But I need to go….no….I  _have_ to…I have to take this job…"

"I can't let you do this. It's too dangerous, and you wouldn't be able to fight this type of demon on your own."

"Then I'll accompany whatever S-class wizard takes it, but I _need_ to be there."

"Hikari-"

"I have to!"

Those words were shouted, anger and worry growing in her system. She was not going to be left behind, not when that girl was involved. She wouldn't have it. She didn't care what she had to do, but she was going. She would not take no for an answer. The Master knew this, judging from the great determination and emotion she was showing, but still could not easily give in.

"You say you have to go?" he asked.

The girl nodded.

"Yes."

"Tell me why."

Hikari was silent at first, a little hesitant to let anything out. She hadn't even told Erza the full story yet, and now it would seem that the whole guild would find out. Glancing around, she found that all eyes were on her, making things even more uncomfortable, but if it raised her chances to go along…

"Hikari, how can I even consider a request such as this if you can't tell me the reason behind why you must tag along?" the old man asked.

She locked gazes with him again, the uncomfortableness growing, but she knew she couldn't stay silent. She'd have to share this bit of her life if she wanted the chance to go. So, with that girl in mind, she answered.

"I have to go…I have to go because…in that town…there's…there's someone I need to…protect."

The man's stare was unchanging.

"Protect?" he asked. "Who?"

She gulped, her breathing slightly shaky.

"A girl…my little sister…Yuki."

"You have a little sister?"

This question came from Lucy, the girl blurting it out in shock.

"Well, cousin if you want to be technical, but she's more like my sister…that's just how close her and I are."

Letting out a sigh, her gaze dropped to the floor. Whether she wanted to or not, it had to happen. It was time to share the entirety of her untold story.

"It started when I was five…almost six. After Atlas Flame disappeared, I went to live with my Aunt. Though I missed Atlas a lot and wanted to find him, I thought things would be ok because I was with family, but I was wrong. My Aunt…Aunt Chiyo Kikoru, was an evil woman, along with her two butlers Akito and Jerick. They all treated me badly from the start and instead of becoming part of the family, I was made into a servant, one considered lower than dirt as she put it. Though it was my duty to do everything they told me, I specifically served one person more than them, and that was their daughter…Yuki. I remember being nervous about meeting her, thinking she was somehow going to be as mean as her Mother, but, when I met her…

_"You will have household duties every day to attend to, and if you don't finish them, you'll get a beating so badly you'd wish you'd never been born."_

_The soon to be six year old looked up at her Aunt, her deep black locks tied up tight in a bun, her young face sporting a stern glare. Being her real Father's older sister, she thought the woman would look much older, but luck seemed to be on her side when it came to her youth._

_"Along with your duties, you will be the personal servant to my daughter. You shall take good care of her, and if anything bad happens to my child, the blame will be on you."_

_"She has a daughter…" Hikari thought, worry filling her system. Her Aunt was pretty scary and she had only been here a day, so how was her daughter going to be like? "Will she be like Aunt Chiyo? Just as mean…always wanting to hit…"_

_"Quit day dreaming you stupid child!" her Aunt suddenly said, smacking her upside the head and breaking her from her thoughts. "There will be none of that here or you'll be out on the streets, and mind you, those out there don't take kindly to wretched little girls like you. Now let's go."_

_Opening the door the two were standing in front of, the young girl was shoved inside, her Aunt following._

_"Yuki, from today on, you will have a new servant. This is your cousin, Hikari."_

_At first, Hikari could see nothing, but after a few seconds, a little head popped out from under the covers, revealing a pair of deep, black eyes. Soon enough, the little girl popped out entirely, and from the moment the two laid eyes on each other…_

_"Yu…ki…" she said softly._

_The girl, from memory, was a year younger than her, and a bit smaller than her, too. Her eyes and hair were a deep midnight black just like her Mother's, but unlike the mean and stern expression that her Aunt Chiyo usually carried, hers was a soft one, shy even. The child looked so…innocent. The brunette opened her mouth and went to say something, but before she could, she was pushed again, the older woman knocking her to the ground._

_"Baka. She is not just Yuki to you. You are her servant; therefore you will address her as Yuki-sama. Do you understand me?"_

_"…Hai…" replied the fallen girl, a little too afraid to get back up._

_"Good. Your duties start now. There's a bowl of water and a cloth over there. Pat her head down a little to cool her off. She's had a fever all day. She gets sick a lot, so be prepared to do this often, and remember, if anything bad happens to her, you will be to blame and punishments will surely come your way."_

_And with that, she took off, shutting the door behind her._

_Turning her attention back to the girl, she froze, those black eyes still on her. She was unsure of what to do, a little nervous to move. It was a small coughing fit from the younger female that broke her from her thoughts. She sure sounded sick.._

_Standing up, she walked over to the bedside table, grabbing the cloth from the bowl and wringing it out. After, she reached out and pressed her own hand against Yuki's forehead._

_"Um…yeah, you do feel real warm. Maybe you should lie down…it'd be a little easier for me to help cool you off…"_

_She didn't want to sound too demanding knowing the girl's position in the family, but that didn't seem to be the case, Yuki instantly laying down and snuggling under the covers. She wasted no time in patting the girl's head down, both in silence as she did her job._

_"She looks so helpless…" the brunette thought. "I wonder what she's sick with. Auntie says that her body is weak and she gets sick easy, but nothing else. I-"_

_"Hi…kari?"_

_Hikari snapped back when she heard a little voice. Locking gazes once again, she saw that the shy look had changed, a more needy one taking place._

_"Hikari…" she said again, and moments after, the Dragon Slayer felt a little hand slip in her own._

"I completely melted after that…" she told them, that memory being one she could never forget. "And we became close…fast, eventually calling each other sisters. She was always clinging to me, always wanting to snuggle…always wanting to play. We had to be careful with the playing part though. A few times, one of the butlers or my Aunt would catch us and I'd get beaten pretty badly. According to them, servants like me shouldn't be playing, not even with the one I served. Didn't stop us from sneaking it though, and at nights, especially stormy ones, I'd sneak in and sleep with her. She hates storms you see…can't stand the thunder."

"Well, if you two were so close, why didn't she try and stop your Aunt from doing things to you?" Mirajane asked.

"Oh, she tried. She tried a lot, but my Aunt never listened, always telling her that I was a servant and had to learn my place."

" _Fool of a girl! Sleeping in when you have duties to attend to?"_

_Hikari had just entered Yuki's room, in a slight panic because she had woken up late, only to find her Aunt there, the woman furious she had done so._

_"You know better!"_

_"Ah!"_

_Chiyo grabbed the brunette by the hair, pulling it and knocking her to the ground. Hikari really didn't mean to sleep in, but it was those stupid nightmares that kept her from getting a good night's rest. She knew the butlers and her Aunt were behind it, but it wasn't like she could openly say so. She'd probably get killed for that._

_"Okaasan, stop it! Don't hurt her!" Yuki cried, tears welling up in her eyes._

_"I'm sorry, Yuki-chan, but this must be done." Her Mother told her. "You'll understand it when you're older. Servants must learn their place in this household, meaning if they step out of line, they must be punished or they will never learn."_

"That's awful…" Wendy said sadly, huggling onto Carla as she listened. She had no idea Hikari had ever gone through such things…

"Perhaps…but that's just how things were. I was pretty accepting of it, but Yuki, not for a second. She often said she hated her Mother, but I'd always have to turn around and tell her not to say that. As much as I hated the woman myself, she took good care of Yuki. Never yelled at her, always made sure she had proper food, proper Doctors, things like that. But…not long after I turned ten, I learned a very dark secret about that place…the both of us did…that showed my Aunt was nothing but a liar…a witch, and that everything she had done, the so called caring she had showed Yuki was all fake."

"What did you find out?" Lisanna asked.

A pit grew in the bottom of her stomach, that familiar guilt rising in her chest. It was a day she had never forgotten…a day that always floated around in her mind. The day she ran away…leaving her little sister behind…

" _Found you!"_

_The two girls had been sneaking around the house playing hide and seek, taking care to keep out of sight from her Aunt and the butlers. She had just spotted Yuki behind a curtain, the black haired female giggling upon being found._

_"Always finding me, nee-chan. Right, you're turn!"_

_Hikari giggled back, shaking her head._

_"We can't silly. It's getting a little late and dinner will be soon, meaning those sad excuses for butlers and your Mother will be up and about any minute. We should get back to your room before we get caught."_

_The nine year old gave a little playful pout before giggling again and running over to Hikari, tackling her in a hug._

_"All right. Thanks so much for playing with me. I love it when we can have these moments together."_

_The girl blushed a little, smiling and hugging the younger one back._

_"Never have to thank me for spending time with you, Yuki-chan."_

_Yuki then pulled away, a warm smile on her face, and slipped her hand into the brunettes._

_"You're the best, nee-chan."_

_"And you're silly, you know that? Come on. If we get back soon, we can fit some snuggle time in before your Mother calls for me."_

_"Hai hai!" the girl said back, and with that, the two were off._

_"Ne…nee-chan, do you know what's for dinner tonight?"_

_"To be honest…I don't." she replied, scratching the back of her head. "I remember her mentioning it yesterday, but it seems I've forgotten."_

_"Well I hope it's something good." Yuki continued. "I'm feeling really hungry today. She best feed you right as well. If not, you know I'll save some of my own for you, right?"_

_"You don't have to do that, Yuki-chan."_

_"I do!" the child said back. "Especially if she doesn't give you a proper amount of food. It's not fair that-"_

_Before Yuki could finish, Hikari had stopped in her tracks, a strange feeling taking over her._

_"Nee-chan?"_

_The feeling flooded her system, growing stronger by the second._

_"Nee-chan, what is it?"_

_"Some…magic power…" she said softly, eye brows furrowed in confusion. "I feel a strong sense of magic power."_

_"You do? From where?"_

_The brunette looked over at a nearby door slightly ajar._

_"There…I feel it from there."_

_It was such an odd feeling for she had never felt anything this strong before aside from the power she felt from Atlas, but this was a different kind of magic feeling…a darker one._

_"I don't know…maybe it's just me. Come on, we should really get back."_

_"Or…" Yuki said, a playful glint in her gaze. "We can go check it out."_

_"That's really not a good idea. It'd be safe just to-"_

_"Oh come on, it's only a peek! I promise it won't take long!"_

_And before she could say anymore, the ten year old ran to the door and disappeared behind it._

_"Yuki!" she called out, but nothing. She knew this wasn't good at all, and also knew that if they got caught, bad things would happen, but she couldn't just leave the girl on her own…she never would. So, she followed, running to the door and slipping inside._

_When she entered, she could just make out a set of stairs, immediately going down them._

_"Yuki-chan…" she whispered quietly as she tip-toed down, panic setting in. She could smell the girl, but just couldn't see her. Soon enough, she realized it wasn't just the girl she could smell, but her Aunt and the butlers, too. This only made her panic rise even more, the fear of being caught growing._

_"Yuki-chan, where are you?" she whispered, but got nothing back. Eventually, she was found, the girl standing at the very bottom of the stairs. Catching up, she gave the girl a little tug on the sleeve of her nightgown to get her attention._

_"Yuki-chan, come on, this is dangerous. We'll get caught. Let's go. Yuki?"_

_Though the younger girl could hear her, she was paying no mind, her eyes wide as she stared at the scenery in front of her. Curious, Hikari turned to look too, and when her eyes fell upon what was in the room…_

_"It's almost complete, Madam." Jerick said, both him and Akito writing what looked to be runes around a…_

_"Magic circle?" Hikari questioned to herself. Seeing those two as well as her Aunt there told her to run, but curiosity got the best of her, and she too found herself watching silently with Yuki._

_"Good." The woman said, eyeing them. "It needs to be ready within a few hours. I can't be missing my monthly dose of this magic."_

_"No Madam, we can't have that." Akito added. "I'm glad it seems to be working well."_

_"Oh it's working quite well." She replied. "Just look at how young it's keeping me. Who knew that daughter of mine would have so much magic in her and such a strong life force as well."_

_"Magic?" Hikari thought. Yuki didn't have any magic. Despite her Mother being so strong, Yuki never once showed a sign of having any. Even Yuki seemed shocked at hearing this judging by the look Hikari saw on her face._

_"Well, she is your daughter after all." Jerick told her. "Of course her magic is strong. That's why it was a wonderful idea you binded her gifts so she'd never know. All the more magic for you to suck out."_

_"Do you think she'll ever catch on?" Akito asked._

_"Her? Catch on?" Chiyo said with a cocked eye brow. "Like she could. To find that there has been a magic circle directly below her room that has been slowly sucking her magic and her life force out of her and into me for quite a few years all to keep me young…no, she never would. She's not bright enough to."_

_"But that Dragon Slayer might be." Jerick said back. "What if she finds out?"_

_"She won't either." Chiyo said back. "That stupid girl…the only thing she is good for is caring for Yuki, keeping her well so I can keep sucking out that magic and life force. She's not bright enough either. She'd never find out."_

_In this very moment, Hikari's heart froze, something in her mind clicking as it began to make sense of things going on around her._

_"She's…been…"_

_Often times, she had wondered why her Aunt always seemed so young for her age, but she never gave much thought to it, thinking it was normal, but now…_

_"Like she could. To find that there has been a magic circle directly below her room that has been slowly sucking her magic and her life force out of her and into me for quite a few years all to keep me young…no, she never would…"_

_"You wench…" she uttered out through anger, her body shaking as her Aunt's words played through her mind again. She spoke it too loud however, for moments after she said it, Akito looked their way, his eyes widening when he saw them._

_"M-Madam! The children! They-"_

_"It's been you…it's been you this whole time…"_

_Her Aunt caught gaze of them, but instead of freaking out like both Jerick and Akito thought she would, she simply stared, almost unphased by their presence._

_"You're the reason she's weak….you're the reason she always seems to be sick….you're sucking out her magic…her…life force…"_

_Out of her own daughter…her own flesh and blood…out of the person she was supposed to love more than anyone in the world._

_"All for youth…all to look young…you're risking the life of your only child for…beauty…"_

_Chiyo, whose look was neutral, now changed, a smirk appearing on her face._

_"Oh yes, risking the life of my child for a life time of beauty…wonderful…isn't it?"_

_Hikari's eyes widened at this, Yuki's as well._

_"O…Okaasan…" the young girl stuttered out, her eyes tearing up. "Okaasan….I thought you…I thought you…loved…me…"_

_"Oh I do love you, child." She said back. "I love you for all the things you provide your dear Mother. You're such a good girl for doing so…"_

_"You bitch!" Hikari shouted, flames suddenly surrounding her body. She was furious beyond words, those flames of anger growing by the second. "That's not love! That's selfishness! You're not supposed to do things that will hurt her! I thought you cared….I thought you really loved her! She's your daughter! You're only daughter! You have no right to treat her this way! She could die!"_

_A black ball of energy began to form in Chiyo's hand, the shadows in the room beginning to change form. Shadow magic…a strong gift, but Hikari paid no mind, too angered to do so._

_"Who are you to tell me I don't have the right?" Chiyo asked, the dark energy in her hand growing bigger. "I gave birth to her…I brought her in to this world. I gave her life; therefore, I can do what I wish to her. As for you, I have no use for you now. You'll just have to be replaced. Now that you've found this out, you have to die. It's a good thing really. I've been itching to finally kill you…"_

_"Okaasan, no!" Yuki shouted._

_Now normally, in her Aunt's presence, as well as Akito's and Jerick's, she was always in fear, but now, her feelings were different. The fear was gone, the want and will to protect her younger sister replacing it and her deep anger supporting it._

_"Kill me?" the brunette asked with a smirk. "I am the daughter of Atlas Flame, a fire dragon slayer…you really think you can simply…kill me? Oh no…how wrong you are. I won't let you get near me, or Yuki, ever again. She's mine…my Yuki…my little sister, and I will do everything I can to protect her from people like you!"_

_After her last few words, she let out a yell, her flames growing higher, and before the three adults could react, Hikari punched the floor with great force, sending a stream of flames across the room._

_"The circle!" Chiyo shouted._

_But it was too late. The flames crashed across the floor and over to the circle, breaking the runes and destroying the magic that had been placed._

_"No! You devil of a child! You will pay for that!"_

_But Hikari didn't stick around to listen. Instead, she grabbed Yuki by the hand and tore up the stairs, bursting into the hallway. Slamming the door shut, she placed her hand against the lock and melted it. She knew it wouldn't hold them for good, but at least for a few minutes. The two then continued running, Hikari throwing flames in every direction as she made her way through the house until they were all the way back to her room. Once they were inside there, she melted her lock as well. She then found herself backing into a corner, eventually hitting the wall and sliding down to the floor, pulling Yuki into her arms._

_She never intended to let loose as she did, but she was angered, scared for Yuki's life. This girl meant the world to her, and this whole time, the one person she thought was taking care of her…the one person she always defended whenever Yuki would say she hated the woman, was just using her. She was sucking out what magic lay bound in Yuki's body and her life force as well, leaving her weak. How could a Mother do that to their own child…their own flesh and blood?_

_"_ _Nee-chan…"_

_Out of breath, the eleven year old continued to hold onto the younger girl tightly. She could still smell the flames from the fire she had started and wondered how long it would be before her Aunt and the others found them._

_"I'm sorry…" Hikari whispered. "I'm sorry you saw that…I'm sorry this is all happening…I'm sorry your Mother is…"_

_"Nee-chan…you have to leave…"_

_At hearing this, she looked down at the other with shock._

_"No! I'm not leaving you behind!"_

_"You have to."_

_"I won't!"_

_"Nee-chan…they won't hurt me, but they'll hurt you…"_

_"Wouldn't be the first time."_

_"But you might even be killed…."_

_"Who cares! Let them do what they want! I'm not leaving you! I'm not going to let that witch of a woman do those things to you anymore! And you can't say she won't hurt you! She's been hurting you this whole time! She's the reason you're sick, Yuki! I can't leave you alone with her!"_

_"She might still do those things, but she won't hurt me any other way. She'll want to keep using me…to keep sucking out the magic and-"_

_"No! I won't have it!"_

_"Please…"_

_"I said no…I'll not leave you alone. I won't…in fact…I'll just take you with me. I'll take care of you."_

_"I'm sick, Hikari-chan. My body won't handle it. You're strong. You have magic."_

_"You're only sick because of her! This is all her fault! I can take care of you!"_

_"You can't…"_

_"But-"_

_"I can't go with you…and you can't stay…for me…Nee-chan…"_

_"Yuki-chan…"_

_A single tear fell down her cheek, but the brunette quickly wiped it away._

_"Nee-chan…for now…just run. If they find you, I know they'll kill you, and I couldn't bare it if they did. Please, just find somewhere safe and don't come back."_

_Hikari squeezed the girl tighter, her heart breaking at these words. She couldn't just not come back, not with what she had just learned._

_"I'll go…I'll go somewhere safe…for you…but here me now. I will come back. I will leave here, get stronger, and when I return, I will defeat Jerick, Akito, and your Mother, and then I will take you."_

_"Nee-chan…."_

_"I will come back for you. I will come back and save you from your Mother…I will save you from this town. Yuki-chan…I'll do it. I promise."_

Hikari then went silent, finishing her story. She held back the tears that had itched to stream down her face, those memories breaking her heart.

"I said I'd return…that when I was stronger…I'd return, defeat them, and take her away. I promised. I may not be the strongest in the world, but I am definitely a lot stronger than I was back then. I can defeat them…and not just me…all of us…"

She lifted her hand to a familiar silver necklace bearing a heart pendant lying around her neck…a gift from the scarlet haired woman…and squeezed her hand gently around the heart.

"Erza…Erza said that whoever I was protecting, she would help me protect as well…she and the guild. She said everyone would back me up and help. Master…please. Yuki…Yuki means so much to me, and every day I am racked with the guilt of leaving her behind. I can't wait any longer, especially if that demon is heading in their direction. You have to understand…people wise, she was the first taste of family I've ever had. Aside from my human Father that I barely remember, I had never had any kind of human family love…but with Yuki…I did. She was the first I can remember…the very first…who gave me that warmth. She's my family…my little sister…my Yuki-chan, so no matter who takes this job, I must go with them. I must save Yuki."

The whole room was silent after Hikari's little speech, people such as Lucy, Lisanna, Mirajane, and Erza in tears from her words.

" _Hikari….my Hikari_ …" Erza thought, her heart completely broken from what she had heard. Out of all the bad things that she suffered from living with her Aunt, Yuki was the good thing…that source of light that had kept the brunette smiling…

"Master…" Hikari said pleadingly.

Makarov closed his eyes, his mind racing with thoughts. It was very rare to see the child show emotion like this, and it hurt him to see one of his children in so much pain, but there were many things he had to consider. This was indeed a dangerous quest for her even if she was with an S-class wizard.

"I don't know…" he said softly.

Hikari's heart clenched at these words, her fists now shaking as she balled them up tight. What did he mean he didn't know? What more did he need to? She could handle this quest and could keep herself safe, and knowing she would be with an S-class wizard should have put his mind at ease, but he was still unsure about it. That didn't work for Hikari, not when Yuki was involved. That didn't work at all.

"You know what? Forget it. I don't care what you think…I don't need your permission…"

Her brows furrowed in anger, infuriated that the man would still consider saying no after what she just said.

"She's my sister and with or without anyone, I'm going to get her back. If it gets me kicked out of here, so be it. I'm heading to the city tonight, and not you or anyone is going to stop me."

And with that, she took off running, heading straight back home.

"Hikari!" Erza shouted.

But she ignored, paying no mind to anyone back there. Her mind was set on what she was going to do and nothing was going to stop her.

" _Yuki…_ " she thought as she reached the apartment. " _Yuki…_ "

Opening the door, she headed into Erza's place. Since she spent most of her time there, it was where a good chunk of what she owned resided. Wasting no time, she found her messenger bag and began stuffing it with things she thought she'd need.

" _I'll rescue you_ …" she said to herself. " _I'll save you, Yuki. I promised I would come back, and I meant it. Nothing is going to hurt you…my Yuki_ …"

It was still a project to hold those tears back, but she did, trying her best just to stay strong. She had to be if she was going to do this. It was going to be a long journey, and in possibly facing her Aunt and the butlers, the fighting would be hard…there was no time for tears.

"Hikari…"

The child froze when she heard this voice. After entering the room, she had forgotten to shut the door, leaving her to not notice the woman coming in not long after. She wasn't surprised she had followed.

"Hikari-chan…" Erza said softly, walking closer until she was right behind the girl.

"I have to go, Erza. I have to do this."

"I know…"

"She can't be left there…not with them…and not with that demon on the way. I have to be the one to save her…no one else. She's my family, Erza…"

"I know she is."

"Then you understand why I have to do this?"

"I do." She knew Yuki was precious to her and that the girl would stop at nothing to rescue and bring her back. "I do understand why you have to leave…but…I don't want you to leave alone."

Hikari clenched her hands tightly around her bag.

"Erza, I-"

"I talked to the Master, and everything is set. I will be taking the quest, but not only me. He is being very lenient with this one, and allowing the whole team to go. Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray…and you. All of us, Hikari-chan…all of us together…so please…"

She pulled the girl close to her from behind, hugging her gently, her Motherly instincts of keeping her own child safe kicking in.

"Please don't leave tonight. Don't go out there alone. We can leave first this in the morning together…the whole team. You don't have to do this alone, remember? We can help you, and we will…so please…"

"…Thank god…"

Erza wasn't expecting these words, but they were the first ones to come out of the child's mouth after her plea not to leave.

"Hikari?"

"Thank god…" she said again. "Because, to be honest, even though I would have done it without a second thought, I didn't want to go alone. I didn't want to do this by myself. I wanted you to come with me, Erza…"

She then finally turned around, facing the other, and revealing that the tears she had been working so hard to hold back were now flowing, freely falling down her face. She could no longer hold it in.

"I wanted you…"

Erza quickly scooped the girl up and sat down on the nearby bed, holding the brunette tightly in her arms, the eleven year old crying on the woman's shoulder. Yes, she would have done this alone, but in reality, she didn't want to. Her old home held more bad memories than good ones, and though she was brave enough to face them, her Aunt and the butlers still invested a bit of fear into her heart. She was just going to ignore them for the sake of saving Yuki, but if Erza was there…if Erza was by her side.

"I want you to come with me …I don't want to go alone."

If Erza was by her side, she'd feel safe. The woman was her sense of security, and for some reason, when she was nearby, she always felt stronger. Perhaps it was their close bond that made her feel that way, just as Mirajane and Lisanna had mentioned months ago. Making bonds with people really did make one stronger.

"I would have gone on my own…I really would have, but I'd feel safer if you went, too. I'd feel safer if you were with me…"

"I'll be with you." Erza whispered to the crying girl, rubbing her back comfortingly. "I'll be right by your side."

"Promise?" she sniffled.

"I swear it." Erza said back. "And not just me, but the whole team. We'll all be right by your side. We'll rescue Yuki and we'll defeat that demon, together."

Hikari wrapped her arms around the woman's neck and nuzzled into those sweet smelling scarlet locks, her crying easing up a bit upon hearing this. She truly did feel safe in Erza's arms, her voice and words slowly comforting every fear she had.

"We'll leave in the morning, ok? Just so we can get a good night's rest…we'll need it."

"But what if something bad happens? What if it already happened? What if she's hurt?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen, ok?" Erza told her. "Nothing bad at all. We'll make it there in time. The distance from Cardona and Kyrioshi is a long one, so it will take some time for the demon to even reach it."

"But to get there from here, I heard Lucy said we were two days away…"

"We are, but we can get there in less than a day. We have that wagon that runs off of magic power. We can speed there in no time. We can do it Hikari-chan. Everything will be ok, I promise."

Pushing back, she rubbed her tears away, staring up at the older woman as she bid the tears to stop. Already, despite her fears, she could feel her chest warming up, the mere presence and love from the woman behind it. Erza…her…Mother…

"Erza…"

"I'm right here…" she said, leaning in and placing a kiss on the girl's forehead. "I'm right here. It will be just you and me from here on out tonight. We can eat, snuggle up, and get some rest."

"And tomorrow, we can leave?"

"Bright and early." The woman replied with a smile. "I promise."

And with that, Hikari eased up completely, falling back and clinging to the woman yet again, Erza snuggling her right up and holding her tight. The two remained that way for quite some time before eating and turning in for the night. Surprisingly enough, the eleven year old passed right out, taking comfort in Erza's warmth, and when morning came…

"Hikari-chan, you doing all right?"

The girl looked over at the blonde, Lucy offering her a comforting smile. Right now it was only herself, Lucy, Happy, and Natsu riding in the back, Gray out front changing places with Erza, who had been driving the wagon. Happy was passed out, Natsu was dying as usual, and she…she just stuck to herself, holding onto a small package of bread Mirajane and Lisanna had given her before the group left.

_"_ _Thanks but…I'm not really hungry."_

_"Take it anyways." Mirajane said warmly. "I made it just last night. In case you do finally get hungry, you'll have something to snack on. Go on."_

_Though she knew she would have little to no appetite at all, she took the bread anyways, not wanting to disappoint her or Lisanna._

_"Mira-nee? Lisa-nee?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I'm a little scared about this trip. Not really of the demon, but of going back to that town…of facing my Aunt, and just…I mean, what if something bad happened to Yuki while I was gone? Granted my Aunt probably wouldn't have done anything to her if she wanted the spell to keep going, but still, I'm just scared. I don't want to lose her…"_

_"You won't lose her." Lisanna told her gently, stealing her for a hug. Mirajane squeezed in for it as well, both comforting the young brunette the best they could._

_"I'm sure everything is fine." Mirajane said. "You guys will get there before you know it and you'll have your Yuki back. There's no need to be scared, ok? You have everyone behind you, and they'll do anything they can to protect you…you and Yuki."_

_Hikari nodded her head, nuzzling into the embraces from both of her big sisters._

_"Everything will be all right." Lisanna whispered, caressing the girl's hair. "Everything will be all right. Have a safe trip, ok? And know we both love you very much…"_

"Hikari?"

The brunette snapped out of her little daze to find Lucy calling out to her again.

"Uh…sorry. Yeah, I'm all right…"

This was a lie of course, but she really didn't want anyone over-worrying for her, especially when they would soon have a demon on their hands.

"I'm back." Said another voice." Turning to look, Erza slipped into the back, the wagon now taking off at full speed again with Gray powering it. Making her way to Hikari, she took a seat beside the girl and pulled her into her arms.

"We should be there soon." Erza told them. "We'll go to your Aunts, deal with them, take Yuki back, and then continue until we find that demon. Are you and everyone doing all right back here?"

"I'm fine." Lucy replied. "Happy's asleep, and Natsu…well, Natsu is being Natsu."

"I want to get off…." He mumbled.

"And I'm fine as well." Hikari told her, happily getting comfortable in Erza's embrace. "Just…."

She quieted before she could finish, her stomach turning with nerves. It was a mixture of everything really. Fear, guilt, anxiousness... It had been over a year since she had seen Yuki and was really hoping she was ok. She was also hoping that the girl wouldn't be angry at her for taking so long. She really was trying to make herself stronger during that time period so she could defeat her and the butlers, but now the whole team was with her, so even if she still wasn't strong enough, everyone here working together would be more than enough strength to defeat them.

"I know." Erza said warmly, kissing her on the head. She knew of the child's fear. "There's no need to be scared though, or to worry. We're all here together, and together we will take care of this. If you're having trouble easing your feelings, try to think of something happy."

"Like what?"

"Like…how it will feel to finally get Yuki back. Your little sister will be around again, and better yet, she'll have a big, loving family waiting for her. Everyone here and the rest of the guild can't wait to meet her."

Hikari furrowed her brows a little

"They can't? Waiting for her….you mean, she can become part of the guild?"

"Well of course, silly. She's your family, which makes her part of our family, too."

"She can really be part of Fairy Tail?"

"Well yes. What did you think was going to happen to her once we got her back?"

"Well, I mean, I guess I wasn't sure if the Master would let her, but then again…it is Master. I was planning on giving her my apartment upstairs and-"

"You really are silly, you know that?" Erza asked.

"What?"

"Hikari, did you already forget about our conversation from yesterday? Granted we didn't quite finish it all the way, but…"

The brunette blushed a little thinking about it.

"Of course I didn't forget…"

"Well then, in knowing you are going to become my…well, knowing you are my daughter, what makes you think you're going to have anything to do with your old apartment anymore? You'll be living with me, and not just you, but Yuki is very much welcome, too."

"Oh, you asked her already?" Lucy piped in. "About the adoption? And she's going to be yours?"

Erza looked up at the blonde with a smile and nodded, Lucy's face, in return, brightening up with a huge grin.

"That's great! I'm really happy to hear that! I've been wondering when that was going to come about."

"Have you spoken to people about this already?" Hikari asked he scarlet haired woman.

"That's all she's ever been talking about." Lucy answered for her. "She mentioned the idea a long while back and always chats about it. I'm really glad she finally told you!"

"I couldn't help myself." Erza said, suddenly nuzzling the eleven year olds cheek. "Talking about you always makes me happy, the adoption subject particularly. I've been thinking about it for a long time, but was waiting for the right moment to tell you."

"Erza…"

So the woman had been planning it? Even during the times Hikari thought she was too much of a pain, she was always wanted?

"Erza…" she said again, this time with a smile, and snuggled up close to the other, warmth now flaring over her fears and worries.

"My Hikari-chan…"

Peeking up to the older woman, she let her fingers gently play with the ends of the scarlet hair.

"You'd really let Yuki live with us?"

"Of course I would. I'd be happy to."

With her snuggly side taking over, she leaned in and placed a kiss on the woman's cheek.

"You're the best, Erza. You really are."

This move derped up the mage and left her speechless for a second, a blush tinting her cheeks.

"You know," Hikari said. "Yuki coming to the guild…that really is exciting to think about. She'll get to meet everyone and can have a big family, too."

"That's right." Lucy told her. "And we'll all take really good care of her. She could get all her strength back!"

"Yeah! And she and I can play together without having to worry, and she can come along on the picnics Mira-nee, Lisa-nee, and I go on, and I can show her around town, and Erza, she can have dinners with us and snuggle time and everything!"

Erza was happy to see the girl finally brightening up a bit, nodding and smiling at the child's excitement.

"Yes she can. It will be wonderful."

"Hai! And, and then we-"

Mid-sentence, she stopped, the cause being the wagon suddenly coming to a halt.

"What? We're here already?" the brunette asked.

That question was soon answered by the sudden presence of Gray, the ice mage standing there with a bit of a sullen and somewhat shocked look on his face.

"Erza…everyone…you have to see this…"

They knew something was wrong, Gray's looking giving that away, but they just didn't know what. In curiosity, they all got off, even Natsu, who snapped out of his motion sickness mode. What was going on? What had he seen? They all wondered this as they reached the front of the carriage, that wonder quickly disappearing when they saw what was in front of them, taking them all of guard. It was a sight they were not expecting, a sight that shook their hearts greatly…a sight that made Hikari sick to her stomach…Yes, they had indeed arrived in Kyrioshi…well, what was left of it…

"No…no…it can't be…"

But…it was. The entire area was in shambles, the town torn apart. Very few buildings stood, the rest broken down and crumbled to the ground. Some people were carrying and helping the injured while others were crying over dead bodies. The smell of death was everywhere, and with the young Dragon Slayer having such a keen sense of smell, it only turned her stomach more.

"Natsu…" Happy cried softly, landing on his shoulder at what he saw and clinging to him slightly.

"What…there's…there's just no way." Erza said. "The demon couldn't have possibly come through. It should have taken him a lot longer than this."

"He must be moving faster than we expected…" Gray added. "Just…look at everything…it's destroyed…"

"And the smell…" Natsu said, covering his face a little.

"This is terrible…" Lucy muttered. We need to help them, and…Hikari?"

Hikari was too shocked to say anything…too shocked to even move, her eyes widened at what she was now witnessing. Everything was as Gray said…destroyed, buildings she was once used to seeing no longer in existence. The sight of dead bodies shocked her system even more. She had never truly witnessed death like this before. It also placed a thought in her mind, a worry that shook her from the immobility that had taken over, a fear that she desperately pleaded in her heart was not true….

_"_ _Yuki…_ _"_

Without a single word, and as quick as she could, she took off, running through the rubble of a town.

"Hikari!" Erza shouted, her and the gang following, but the child didn't stop. She couldn't. She had to get there…she had to find her, and she had to…

"No way…"

Coming to a stop, her eyes widened yet again at a devastating sight. There in front of her was nothing but crumbled and broken remains of her old home, a building she had spent nearly half her life in. To her, it had always been so big and so grand looking, but now, it lay in shambles, nothing left but broken pieces.

"Hikari!"

The rest of the gang had finally caught up, stopping beside the speechless female. When they saw what she was looking at, they all had the same thought.

"Hikari…" Erza asked. "Was this your old home?"

The child couldn't answer, her gaze locked with the houses remains. She didn't care so much for the building, but truly feared what may be buried beneath what was left. Were there bodies? Or had they escaped? Where was her Aunt? Where were the butlers, and Yuki…where was her Yuki? If they didn't escape, were they trapped? Maybe they couldn't get out? Maybe she should search the rubble? Maybe she-"

"Hikari…is that you?"

A new voice shook her from her thoughts. Turning, she found and older man not far from them, immediately recognizing who he was.

"Chehiya-san?"

Mr. Chehiya was her next door neighbor growing up and always treated her relatively nice when he saw her.

"Hikari…I've been wondering what happened to you. When your Aunt said you were gone I…"

He then suddenly quieted, a saddened look falling upon his face.

"Where are they…My Aunt…Jerick…Akito?"

"Hikari…" he said, his voice shaky. "Hikari, they're dead."

Hikari's heart stopped when she heard this, the news shocking her. Just like that, three mages she had always viewed as quite powerful were gone…no longer existing.

"Gaimeka…he came last night." The man told her. "No one saw it coming. We were warned of course, but we didn't think he would make it so quickly. The destruction…it happened so fast…so many people have died. We pulled the bodies of your Aunt and the butlers out this morning and buried them…"

Hikari's chest tightened, finding it hard to almost breath.

"And Yuki…what of Yuki…"

The man stayed silent, his eyes watering up. Hikari didn't settle for this, making her way over and suddenly pushing him down in anger. There was no way he was trying to tell her what she thought he was.

"I said where's Yuki!" she screamed.

"Hikari, stop!" Erza told her.

"I'm sorry, Hikari. We pulled her body out too. She was alive though, but just barely. We've been caring for her throughout the night, but…there's nothing else we can do. Her injuries are too severe. We-"

"Where is she…"

"Hikari, you-"

"Where is she!?"

"She's where the bank used to be, but Hikari, she doesn't have much longer. She-"

The brunette didn't even bother to let him finish, taking off and running to where she was told. She wouldn't believe anything he said…she wouldn't believe it at all. Yuki couldn't die…she wouldn't…none of that would happen.

"Hikari wait!" Erza called, the gang running and following her again.

Remembering where the building was, she made her way over and stopped almost immediately when she was a few inches away.

_"Yuki…"_

There on the ground, was a small pile of sheets, a body of a young girl on top of them.

"Yuki!"

Running to her side, she knelt down beside her, tears already streaming down her face. Her little sister…her precious Yuki…

"Yuki! Yuki wake up! Speak to me!"

The girl, who was covered in bandages, had her eyes closed, but upon hearing Hikari's voice, they slowly opened, brows furrowing slightly in confusion.

"Nee….chan?"

Hikari nearly broke down when she heard her voice, relief in seeing her alive taking over. It had been so long since she had heard that voice, the sound gracing her ears like music.

"It's ok, Yuki-chan…" she said, gently taking her hand. "Everything's ok…I'm here now…"

The entire gang had caught up at this point, watching in silence at the scene in front of them.

" _This is her Yuki…_ " Erza thought. " _That precious pe rson..."_

Staring up at the brunette, the confusion suddenly changed into happiness, a smile now on her face as tears filled those midnight black eyes.

"Nee-chan…it's you…it's really you. You came back…"

"Of course I did." Hikari told her, wiping away those tears. "I promised you didn't I? I'm sorry I took so long. I was trying to get stronger to defeat your…Yuki…I'm sorry it's been so long. I hope you never thought I forgot you. I thought about you every day…"

"And I thought about you." Yuki said back, squeezing the girl's hand. "Always and never once did I think you forgot me. You're my nee-chan…I'm so happy you're here…I'm so happy I can see you before I…"

Hikari knew what words were going to be said next, but she still wouldn't believe them. It wasn't going to happen…nothing was going to happen to her.

"Yuki-chan, you're coming home with me. There's a whole family waiting for you."

"Nee-chan, I-"

"And we have a healer there, Wendy. She's a Dragon Slayer just like me. She can heal you, and-"

"Nee-chan…"

"And you can join Fairy Tail and live with me, and everything will be perfect. We can be together again, Yuki."

"Nee-chan…please…I don't have much time left…"

"That's not true, Yuki…" she said shakily. "You'll be all right. We'll take care of you…I'll take care of you, and-"

"Nee-chan-"

"No!"

More tears fell down the brunettes face, the girl gripping Yuki's hand tighter. She wasn't dying…she wasn't. She wouldn't let it happen.

"Yuki-chan…"

"Nee-chan…you know I love you, right? I love you so much…"

"I love you, too…."

"Thank you…thank you for everything you've done for me. You're the best big sister anyone could ask for."

"Yuki-chan…please…"

"Nee-chan…can you sing to me?"

She wasn't expecting this question. It had been forever since she'd done so.

"Yuki…"

"My lullaby…Nee-chan…can you sing it to me?"

Nodding her head, she leaned in and placed a kiss on the girl's cheek, her free hand now caressing those dark locks as the song began.

_"Little child, be not afraid_

_Though thunder explodes and the lightening flash_

_Illuminates your tear stained face, I'm here tonight._

_My child please know that these years do show_

_The rains apart of how life goes_

_But it's dark and it's late, so I'll hold you and wait_

_Till your frightened eyes do close_

_And I hope that you know that nature is so_

_The same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls of rivers and lands, on forests and sands_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning_

_Everything's fine in the morning, the rain will be gone in the morning_

_And I'll still be here in the morning_."

She managed to smile a little after singing this, reaching up to wipe away her own tears.

"Did you miss that, Yuki-chan?"

No answer came. Looking back at the girl's face, she saw her eyes had closed.

"Yuki?"

Still nothing, panic running through her system now.

"Yuki! Yuki-chan wake up! Yuki! Please! Don't leave me!"

But no voice came. That precious sound could no longer be heard. No more nee-chan, no more smiles, no more of those giggles…nothing, and before Hikari could say anything else, Yuki's hand went limp and slipped out of her own.

"No…no….Yuki!"

"Oh no…" Lucy said softly, the woman crying on Natsu's shoulder. Happy was tearing up as well, Gray standing in silence. Erza was also in tears, heartbroken that this all had happened. Yuki was still so young, and for Hikari….for her daughter…

"Hikari-"

"Yuki…" the girl cried, her tears endless now. "Yuki…please…come back."

But she was gone…her little sister…her first taste of human family love….the reason she was able to live on and still smile no matter what bad things were happening when she was growing up, was gone…and because of the things that had happened…because she had left over a year ago, leaving her behind…she couldn't help but blame herself.

"I'm sorry…Yuki…my Yuki…my…"

And in that moment, a scream was let out. A scream full of nothing but the darkest pain she had ever felt in her life, and it echoed across the broken town. Flames also covered the entirety of her body as she let it out, jetting out far and violently in every direction and allowing no one near her as her heart broke.

"Hikari!" Erza shouted, trying to get closer, but the heat was too much. "Hikari, please!"

"We've got to get to her!" Lucy said.

"Those flames are just too hot!" Gray said back.

"But not for me." Natsu told them, taking a step forward.

"Natsu, please get to her." Erza pleaded. "Please, I-"

But before she could finish, and before Natsu could move, the flames came down, the screaming stopped.

"Hikari!"

But the girl heard nothing, darkness and sadness surrounding her aching heart. Nothing made sense right now…nothing seemed real, and before anyone could react, she stood up and took off running.

"Hikari wait!" Erza shouted, running after her, but the young girl seemed quicker.

"Hikari please!" Erza couldn't lose sight of her. She knew the girl was hurting…she knew she was in pain and would do anything to be there for her.

As she continued to run, Erza started losing sight of her, Hikari taking off and shooting in different directions. Eventually, she watched as the girl entered some nearby woods. She followed suit, but as soon as she was in there…

"Hikari! Hikari where are you!"

Nothing. The child was nowhere to be found. She kept running however, hoping to come by her. She couldn't be alone right now, especially when there was a demon about. She at least had to be somewhere safe…and she needed to be comforted…she needed to have people around.

"Hikari….Hikari!"

 


	8. Guilt

When the news of what happened reached the guild, everyone was in shock. Gaimeka had moved much quicker than they had expected, the search for where he was heading next underway. That was not the only search going on, however, for while some worked on tracing the demon…

"She's been gone for three days…" said a tearful, scarlet haired woman. "We've looked everywhere…I don't know where she is. I'm scared."

"I know…I know…" Mirajane said softly, doing her best to comfort the other. It was unlike Erza to show any panic or tears so openly, but with the two alone in the re-equip mage's apartment, she brought her walls down, having issues keeping her emotions under control with her child missing, and now, she was wrapped in the arms of the eldest takeover sibling, her worries endlessly pouring out.

"What if she doesn't come back?" Erza asked. "What if I never see her again?"

"She'll come back." Mira replied, caressing the woman's hair. "You know she will."

"But what if she doesn't? Yuki meant so much to her and now she's dead Mira…you should have seen the look on her face, and her scream…it was so painful. You could almost feel her emotions from her flames. She's in a lot of pain…"

Just the thought of that broke Mirajane's heart. Hikari had been so hopeful on getting her younger sister back, but instead found her dying.

"She probably needed some time alone." Mirajane told her.

"But she shouldn't be alone." Erza said back. "Not when she is hurting that much…and not when Gaimeka is still out there. What if she gets hurt? What if she is already hurt? Mirajane…that's my daughter, if something happens to her I-"

Before Erza could finish, Mirajane pulled back slightly, resting her forehead against the others. Locking gazes, she stared into those brown eyes with intent, wanting Erza to really hear her.

"Listen…she's ok. I know it. She's your Hikari, the kid that's too stubborn to let anything too serious happen to her, and the kid that loves you with all her heart. You are her Mother. She will come back to you."

"But she never actually said yes…" Erza replied, her heart aching. "I never really got the answer from her because that's when the news of Gaimeka came. I mean, she looked like she was going to say yes but-"

"Exactly. Erza, you  _know_  she was going to say yes."

"Do I?" she asked. "What if she wasn't? What if she-"

"If only people knew how much of a worrier you really were…" Mirajane said with a small smile. "Almost everyone witnessed the way she hugged and loved on you that night, myself included before I ran out back. That sparkle in her eyes, that smile on her face…she called you her Erza. She loves you…there was no way she was going to say no."

Erza wiped away the few remaining tears off her face, sniffling a little as she listened to Mira's words and took comfort in them.

"She's your daughter, Erza. There's no doubt about that. She'll come back, I know it. You just have to have a little faith."

After that, she pulled the woman back into her arms, Erza melting right in them as Mira went back to caressing her hair.

"I hope…" Erza said softly. "I really hope."

Mirajane hugged the woman a little tighter, the small smile that was on her face now faltering, her blue eyes filled with worry. She too was worried sick about the child. She, Lisanna, and Hikari were a tight knit trio, but in trying to stay strong for Erza, she masked her worry and focused on comforting the other woman instead. Still…

" _Hurry back…_ " Mirajane said to herself, her worried heart in pain. " _Hikari-chan…hurry back…_ "

* * *

"Going out again?"

Natsu stood leaning against the door of the guild, lost in his own thoughts while gazing at the busy street, Happy silently sitting on his shoulder. It was Lisanna that pulled him from his little world, turning and finding the worry-stricken woman by his side.

"Yeah, Wendy, Lucy, Happy, Carla, and I all are. We're going to try and track her scent again. We managed to grab it a few towns over yesterday, but lost it half way through the search. We're going to head over to that town again."

Lisanna teared up slightly as she listened, her blue eyes staring out into the town.

"I hope you find her, Natsu. I'm really worried."

"Lisanna…" Happy said sadly.

"I know…" Natsu replied. "A lot of us are. Damn girl causing all these problems. I'm kicking her ass when she gets back."

"She's just scared Natsu." Lisanna said back. "She just lost someone very dear to her…someone who was her little sister. She's hurting…"

"I know, but she should have known we'd all be here for her instead of running. Look at all the worry she is causing everyone. Mirajane, Wendy, Lucy, Erza…and you…"

Lisanna's tears began coming down even more, the woman desperately trying to wipe them away. In finding she couldn't stop them, she turned and hugged Natsu, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder.

"Natsu…" she cried quietly. "I'm scared. What if something bad happened to her…what if she's hurt? She is a little sister to me and I couldn't stand to lose her."

This action took the dragon slayer off guard a little bit, a blush forming on his face. Even Happy was a little shocked, however moments after she hugged, he hugged her right back.

"She's not hurt." Natsu said back, hoping his words would comfort the crying female. He knew just how close she was to the younger girl, which is why it made him angry she had run. He could understand she was in pain, but to be gone this long from the people who she knew loved and cared for her? "She's all right. I know it. No matter how much of a pain in the ass she can be sometimes, she is one of the strongest kids I know. She'll be ok, and we'll bring her home…I promise."

"Thank you, Natsu…" she said softly. "Thank you…"

Not liking to see Lisanna said, Happy piped in to cheer her up a little.

"I know we'll find her, Lisanna!" he said. "We'll look over every town today if we have to!"

Lisanna peeked up and gave a small smile.

"Yeah, and I'll look around town here today and keep my eyes open."

"We'll all work together." Natsu told her, smiling as well. "Just like we have been. We'll find her Lisanna, so no more tears, ok? They don't suit you…I promise, she'll come home."

Peering up, a blush grew on her face. Natsu always knew what to say, and at the comforting words, she couldn't help but smile a little wider.

"Hai." She said back. "We will. Let's get started."

* * *

While Natsu and Happy prepared to leave and Lisanna prepared to search Magnolia, the other three that were accompanying the dragon slayer were now on their way to the guild to meet him, their journey taken in silence. All were worried for the young brunette, Wendy especially. She had desperately tried helping Natsu find her the day before, but when they lost her scent and came out empty handed, she was devastated.

" _Wendy…_ " Carla thought, eyeing her worriedly as she walked beside her. The usually happy female hardly smiled during Hikari's absence. Many times she tried to cheer the girl up, but it didn't work.

"I know we all miss her, and I know she's hurting, but I think it was selfish and stupid of her to run like that."

It was these words coming from the pure white exceed that broke the silence. She hated seeing Wendy like this. It killed her, and since Hikari was the cause, she was angry at her. Yes, she understood that something terrible had happened, but in her mind, that didn't mean she had to worry and hurt everyone who cared about her.

"Don't say that." Wendy told her. "She's not stupid or selfish."

"Yes she is." The exceed replied. "Look at what she's doing to everyone!"

"She's just having a hard time,' Lucy told her, trying to calm Carla down. "She did just lose someone very precious to her, so she's probably not thinking straight."

"Doesn't mean she can run off like that." Carla said back. "Look at how many people she's worrying! Everyone's been out searching for her, and she probably knows it, too. She has the same strong sense of smell as Natsu and Wendy, and in knowing people are looking for her, she should come back, but no, she's still out there. I don't care what anyone says, she is being stupid and selfish."

"No she's not…" Wendy said again.

"Yes she is. She's-"

"Carla, just stop!"

Wendy froze in her tracks, lifting her hand and wiping away the tears that were now making their way down her cheeks.

"Wendy…" Carla said softly.

"Stop saying those things." She said through tears. "Please…Hikari's really hurting…and she's scared…and she probably doesn't know what to do. Don't be mad at her when she's going through something like this. She's just…she…"

Lucy walked over and gave the girl a hug. Though she understood Carla's point, her feelings sided with Wendy's, the blond understanding that Hikari was probably in a lot of pain. Like everyone else, she was worried sick about her, too, but stayed strong for the sake of those who were taking it harder, like little Wendy. Erza, for the most part, was keeping her chin up in front of everyone, but word from Mirajane said that behind closed doors, she was a mess, so no matter what she felt, the celestial mage had to stay strong for everyone else.

"I just want her to come back…" Wendy said softly.

"She'll return." Lucy said, comforting her. "She will. She's probably just taking some time to herself, you know? We'll find her."

At seeing thing, Carla let out a little sigh. Yes, she was angry at Hikari, but she didn't want to make Wendy feel even worst.

"Lucy's right." She told her. "Even though I'm not happy with her, she will be back. If she is purposely staying away, then she probably needs more time, but when she gets through that, I'm sure she will come home."

"I just hope it's soon." Wendy said, backing from the hug and wiping away the rest of her tears. "And I hope nothing bad has happened either. You think she's safe?"

"I'm sure she is." Lucy answered. "She is a dragon slayer after all, and you know how tough she is. She's a great fighter, too, so she's probably doing just fine. Like you said, she probably just needed to be alone. We'll find her, I promise."

Wendy just nodded, sniffling a little and taking comfort in Lucy's words.

"Come on." The woman told her. "Let's go meet Natsu and Happy, yeah?"

Wendy nodded again and proceeded to start walking, but right at that moment, something caught her attention, something she wasn't expecting.

"Wendy?" Lucy asked.

The girl looked up at the other, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Wendy, what is it?" Carla asked, getting a little concerned.

The twelve year old turned and looked behind her, sniffing the air as if to confirm something. There was something a little different about it, but there was no mistake…she knew who that scent belonged to, and without a second thought…

"Lucy, go get Natsu and Happy."

"What?"

"Go get them."

"But-"

"Quickly!" she said. "I'm onto something and I don't want to lose it!"

"Hikari?"

"Yes, so go grab them. Natsu can follow my scent, hurry!"

Without another word, Lucy did so. If Wendy truly had caught Hikari's sent, then it was important she chase after it. The sooner they found her, the better. Wendy immediately ran and followed the trail, Carla now flying right beside her.

"You can really smell her?" she asked.

"Yes, but something's not right." Wendy said back.

"What do you mean?"

"I know it's her scent, there's no mistaking it, but there's something different about it…something that makes me nervous, and I don't like it. We need to find her fast."

And with that, the two continued to run, the difference in the smell greatly worrying the sky maiden.

" _Please be ok, Hikari-chan._ " She said to herself. " _Please…_ "

* * *

Back at Erza's apartment, the woman had calm down quite a bit, picking herself back up and holding back her tears. Sitting on her bed, she held onto one of Hikari's sweatshirts, Mirajane still by her side.

"You gonna join them? You know they wouldn't mind you going along at all."

Erza nodded, hands clinging to the blue fabric gently. She had heard that Natsu, Wendy, Happy, Carla, and Lucy were going out on a search again today and she wanted to be there.

"Yeah, I was going to go by myself again, but with both Natsu and Wendy's sense of smell, the chances of finding her are higher. Maybe they'll have better luck with it than they did yesterday."

"We can hope." Mirajane said back. "Perhaps I'll join you, too. The more the better, right?"

Brown eyes looked up to meet the blue ones, a certain tenderness in the scarlet haired woman's gaze.

"Thank you, Mirajane…" she said softly. "For helping, for being here for me, for…everything…"

This tender look took the takeover sibling off guard, causing her to blush a little, but she smiled back warmly, nodding at the words.

"No thanks needed. I love that girl, too, and I'm always here when you need me."

Even though she hurt, she managed to smile just a little at this, a small blush of her own appearing on her face.

"I give my thanks anyways." She said softly. "I really do appreciate you being here. It helps."

"I'm glad." Mira said back, and she truly was. It warmed her up to know she was doing something to help the other woman. "I-"

"Erza!"

The door suddenly burst open, a very out of breath woman making her way inside.

"Lucy?" Erza said with a bit if shock.

"Erza…Mirajane…"

"What's the matter?" Mira asked.

"Hikari…Wendy found her…they're back at the guild…"

Erza's eyes widened when she heard this, both her and Mirajane instantly standing up.

"They did?" Erza asked. "How is she?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Lucy answered. "I ran to get you the moment they took her in."

"Then let's go!"

And with that, the three took off, all running right to the guild.

"They were bringing her out back." Lucy told them once they arrived and went inside. Heading to that area, they immediately searched around, eventually finding the back door entrance open and a small group of people outside of it.

"Natsu! Gray! Wendy! Lisanna!"

It was Mira who called their names, the three now joining the group outside in the back. Looking ahead, Erza saw the young girl standing by the rock she had always been trying to break, the Master by her side.

" _Hikari…_ "

Wanting to get to her, she proceeded to move forward, but was stopped by Lisanna before she could get any farther.

"Wait…" Lisanna said softly. "Just a bit longer. We can't see her yet."

"Why not?" Erza asked.

"The Master said he wanted her alone…he said he needed to find something out."

"Find what out?" Mirajane asked. "Is everything ok? Is she all right?"

"Well, she's a bit beat up." Her sister replied. "It looks like she got into a few fights, and she hasn't said a word since she was found, but other than that…"

"There's something else…"

It was Wendy's words that disrupted them, the younger girl not taking her eyes off of her brunette friend.

"Something else?" Ezra questioned.

"Something's not right." She said softly. "There's something about her scent that's different…something not normal, and it makes me feel really uncomfortable."

"It's true." Natsu piped in, his brows furrowed as he tried figuring it out. "I can smell it, too. Something's changed…and I'm not sure it's good."

"And she gives off a weird feeling." Happy said worriedly, half hiding behind Natsu's leg. "I don't like it."

"Master must have sensed it somehow, too." Gray added. "He took her aside the moment she was brought back here. They've been chatting for a few minutes now."

Erza looked over to where her child was, worry growing in her gaze. What was wrong? What were they sensing?

"I tried healing her wounds…" Wendy told her. "But she wouldn't let me. She wouldn't even talk. She looks like she got hurt pretty bad, but-"

"Look." Lisanna mentioned. "The Master's coming back."

Silence filled the area as they waited for the Master's return. They were hoping for some good news, but the somewhat sullen and worried look on his face told the crew otherwise.

"Master…" Erza spoke.

Makarov said nothing, his look unchanging.

"Master, how is she…" Mirajane asked.

"She's…rough. She's got quite a few cuts and bruises on her, and she's very quiet. I only managed to get her to say a few things, but none of what came out of her was good. "

"Well what did she say?" Natsu asked. "I'll find out who beat her up like that and kick their asses myself. I can't believe she let herself get beat on like that. She's a Dragon Slayer, with her strength and magic she could-"

"That's where the problem lies, Natsu." Makarov said back, cutting him off. "How can she defend herself in a mere fight when she  _has_  no magic?"

The entire group when silent upon hearing this, wide, unbelieving eyes all staring down at the old man. Did they just hear that right?

"No magic?" Gray asked. "What do you mean she has no magic?"

"She's a Dragon Slayer." Natsu added. "Those gifts don't just go away!"

"No, but they can shut down, and leave the user unable to tap into it." Makarov replied.

"Shut…down?" Lisanna asked.

" _Hikari…_ " Wendy thought, eyes still locked onto the eleven year old. So that's what she had been sensing. A disturbance in Hikari's magic, something out of place…

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked. "Is her magic really gone?"

"Not gone, just dormant." He replied. "I'm very sure. Those were some of the few words I managed to get out of her. Her magic has shut down and she can no longer use it."

Mirajane's brows furrowed when she heard this, a familiar pain of her own peaking. She had seen this situation before. Not only that, she had experienced it...

"How can that be?" Natsu asked.

"It's a rare thing, but it does happen." Mirajane answered. "If you remember, it happened to me when I thought Lisanna had died."

Everyone was silent, remembering that time period.

"You see, magic starts and is born from the heart." she continued. "One has to fully believe in themselves and in the magic for it to work. If the heart stops believing…"

"She just lost someone who was a little sister to her…her first real taste of family." Erza said. "She had made a promise to protect this girl and held that promise dearly. Instead, she watched her die and probably blames herself…that's more than enough to make her heart stop believing…"

The crew went quiet again. They knew Hikari would be hurting, but her pain ran a lot deeper than they had thought.

"Can we do something about it?" Wendy asked the Master. "I can't bare to see her like this. There has to be something we can do, right?"

"Wendy…" Carla said.

"That's right!" said Natsu. "We're her family, aren't we? We can make her believe again! We'll help show her it's not her fault and get her magic back!"

"She'll have all of us to go to and we'll do whatever we can to help." Added Lucy.

"We'll show her she's not alone." Lisanna told them. "She knows she has us, and no matter how long it takes, we'll be right there to help her get through this."

"But will it be that easy?" Gray asked.

"That I do not know." Makarov said back. "It's true we can find ways to help her, but whether or not she accepts that help is going to be the question. She's really hard to get through to right now."

"Then let's all go talk to her." Wendy suggested. "Right now, and show her we're all here."

"That may not be best." The master told her. "At least not yet. Hearing all this and seeing everyone at once might be a little too much. Only one person should see her right now. Erza…"

Erza looked down at the Master, who looked back with a sad but serious gaze.

"It would be best if you go to her. Perhaps she will react to you better." The master said.

"That's true." Mirajane told her. "You are her Mother after all. If anyone can get through to her, it's you."

Erza looked back at her little girl.

"Of course…I'll stay with her."

"We'll all wait inside so you two can have your alone time." Makarov told her. "Come on everyone."

"Tell her we all love her." Mirajane said, and with that, the crew left, leaving Erza and Hikari alone.

Letting out a small sigh, she tread cautiously across the ground, stopping when she was right in front of the young Dragon Slayer. Upon seeing the girl, who kept her eyes lows, her own gaze saddened. The Master was right, she did take a bit of a beating. There were cuts and scratches all over her arms, bruises as well, and her lip was split, too.

"Hikari…"

She had no idea what to say. What words could comfort a child during a time like this? None, she thought, but she had to do something. So, instead of speaking, she just wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her in close, hugging her tightly and with every ounce of love she had in her.

"Hikari…" she said softly, but no reply came. The brunette didn't even hug back. She didn't care though, she would still just love on her and give her every bit of affection she could muster.

After kissing the top of her head, she knelt down to Hikari's height. Reaching out, she cupped the girl's cheek, her thumb rubbing against it gently.

"Hikari…look at me…"

Though she didn't react at first, Hikari eventually let her eyes travel from the ground to Erza, their gazes locking. It broke the woman's heart to see the girl this sad.

"My Hikari…talk to me…"

The girl did not reply, only staring at the other.

"It's ok…it's just you and me. Don't hold it in, Hikari…talk to me…"

It took the girl a few moments, but eventually, she was able to let a few words free.

"It was my fault…all of it…it was my fault."

"No, Hikari…it wasn't…"

"But it was…I shouldn't have left her the night I found out what my Aunt was really up to. I shouldn't have listened to Yuki and should have stayed."

"Your Aunt was trying to kill you that night. Yuki wanted you safe."

"But I should have stayed anyways…" Hikari told her, her voice just above a whisper. "I should have fought, and now because of me, she's dead. If I had just stayed with her, or if I had gone back sooner, Gaimeka wouldn't have killed her. I was supposed to protect her…I was supposed to keep her safe."

"Hikari it's not your fault." Erza said again. "Gaimeka coming back, him destroying that town, those were things no one saw coming. You were planning on going back for her, you loved her and protected her during your stay and you stayed loyal to your promise even while away, working to get yourself stronger so you could return and save her. What happened to her was not right and unfair and it doesn't make sense, but it was also out of our control."

"No it wasn't. I could have saved her. If only I had gone back sooner…if only I had gotten stronger faster, I could have defeated my Aunt and those butlers, and then saved her, but I took too long. I am at fault for this."

"You are not at fault-"

"I am…even magic itself knows it." She said back, looking down at her hands. "My powers are gone…they've abandoned me, and I deserve it. I don't deserve to have these gifts…to be Atlas Flame's daughter, if I couldn't protect the one person I promised I would."

"Magic doesn't work like that. You powers are gone because you're thinking this way, you've stopped believing in yourself….believing in general, you have to understand that this really wasn't your fault…there was nothing you could do. Hikari, please…"

She wrapped the girl up in a hug again, holding her close.

"Please, don't think that way. You did nothing wrong…you did the best you could. This wasn't your fault, and I don't care what I have to do, but I'm going to make you believe it. I'll not leave you alone until you do. I love you, and I will do whatever I can to change your thought…to be there for you. You won't have to go through this alone…I'm your Mother, and I'll be right by your side."

Hearing these words struck a chord through the young girl's heart, and even through all her sadness, she could feel Erza's warmth and love run through her…she could feel that safety surround her…

" _Erza…Erza…_ "

The woman kept the girl close, kissing the girl's head again as she continued to comfort her.

"Hikari…my Hikari…I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she felt the brunette push away, escaping the warm embrace that had surrounded her. This action caught Erza off guard, and as she looked at the other with confusion, the child shook her head and stepped back.

"No…no. I'm not. I'm not…your Hikari…"

The two were silent after these words were said, Erza's eyes widening when she heard them. Hikari just stared back, her sad gaze unchanging. Yes, she had felt that warmth, that love, that safety, but she wouldn't let herself have it. Not anymore.

"Don't say that…"

"I'm not yours…" the child said again. "You're not…my Mother…I don't deserve this…I don't deserve family."

Erza's heart felt liked it snapped when she heard this, her eyes tearing up, but she held them back, trying her best to keep calm. Her thought process was a lot worse than she thought, the girl now thinking she didn't deserve anything that made her happy. She had to fix that…she couldn't let that happen. She didn't want Hikari thinking she didn't deserve anything when Yuki's death wasn't her fault, especially a family. She was her Mother and Hikari was her daughter, and no matter how much Hikari thought she didn't deserve it, nothing was going to change that. Not if Erza had anything to do with it.

"You know that's not true. Hikari, you have to understand this isn't your fault. You can't be thinking like that…you can't be thinking you don't deserve anything that makes you happy…"

"Well I don't…I let my sister die…"

"No you didn't! That wasn't your fault! Yuki wouldn't want you thinking that!"

"What does it matter what she thinks? She's dead! And she's dead because of me!"

"No! Hikari, listen to me!" Erza pleaded. "Please, you did nothing wrong. There was nothing anyone could do. It's not your fault and I won't let you believe it. I also won't let you believe you don't deserve family. You have one whether you think you deserve it or not. You're my daughter, and nothing is going to change that."

"No!" Hikari shouted, eyes watering up. She didn't want that…she didn't want family anymore. How could she let herself be happy when she failed to protect her own little sister? She couldn't…and now, she just wanted Erza to leave her alone…she wanted everyone to leave her alone. She couldn't be around them, it hurt too much. Maybe she did have a chance with them…a chance to have a family…a Mother…but now…

"I'm not your child and you're not my Mother! I don't want it anymore!"

"Hikari-"

"Just leave me alone!"

And before Erza could say anything else, Hikari took off running, heading back through the building and speeding through the guild.

"Hikari!" Mirajane shouted when she saw the girl pass by, but the girl made no reaction, running past everyone and out the door.

"Hikari come back!" Erza shouted, following the brunette, but the child was fast, speeding down the streets and back to her home. Running up the stairs, she headed to her apartment and slammed the door behind her, locking it shut. Moments after, she could hear Erza's footsteps running up the stairs as well, the pounding of her fists against the door moments after.

"Hikari, open up!"

Nothing.

"Hikari, please! Let me in!"

Still nothing.

"Hikari, please…don't be like this…don't think this way…please…"

But no reply came, Hikari ignoring the pleas and curling up on her bed, hiding her face in her pillow.

Erza leaned back against the door and slid down, a few tears she had been trying to hold back escaping now. She had to do something…she had to…but what could she do? How could she help if the girl kept herself away?

"Erza!"

Seeing the girl run like that and Erza follow told Mirajane something wasn't right, so she had went after the two, finding Erza sitting at the top of the stairs against Hikari's door.

"Erza, what happened?" she asked, sitting beside her and quickly pulling her into an embrace.

"She's blaming herself…for everything." She told her. "She thinks it's all her fault…and now she thinks she doesn't deserve anything…her gifts, family…nothing. She said she wasn't mine, that I wasn't her mother. She said she didn't deserve any of it…"

"What?" Mira asked, slightly angered at this. She knew the girl was hurting, but to say something like that. "Erza, you know that's not true…she's just saying that because of everything that happened. She _is_  yours…"

"I know…that's what I told her…that no matter what she thinks, she's mine…"

"I'll go talk to her. I'll try and-"

"No…"Erza said. "Just let her be…"

"But-"

"Please…she's going through enough…maybe if we give her a little more time here alone then…I don't know…just for now…give her some space…"

Mirajane didn't like this idea, especially knowing that she could relate to the girl. She knew exactly what it felt like to lose a sister and take the blame, but she didn't want to go against Erza right now. Personally Erza didn't like the idea either, but the girl was just too worked up right now. She needed more time alone and Erza would give her that space for now, hoping the time would help the brunette think things through a bit more.

" _Hikari…_ " Mirajane thought angrily, but did nothing more, instead just pulling Erza closer and holding her tight.

* * *

Two days passed since Hikari's return to the guild, and during those two days, not once did the child leave her room. She kept it locked, keeping everyone out…letting no one in. She wanted her solitude…she deserved it after all with what she had done.

" _Yuki….Yuki…_ "

The image of her younger sister dying played through her mind. She was right there…right by her side…and she was helpless…unable to do anything to save the girl who brought happiness to her world during the darkest times. She felt empty…guilt filling the entirety of her heart for her failure to protect. She would live with this guilt for the rest of her life, accepting that fate and planned on living forever on her own. Though, at this moment, being truly alone was a little difficult when there was a certain woman knocking at the door…again.

"Hikari…Hikari please answer me."

She had lost track at how many times the woman came to her door since she shut herself in. Always in the morning, always at night, and many times in between. She was adamant about getting to the child, but Hikari wouldn't budge. It hurt her enough to keep the woman out…having anymore contact with her again would just kill her heart even more. It was best just to cut her off clean.

"Hikari…please…talk to me."

No answer came, the brunette refusing to do so. Eventually, after much trying, the woman gave up, but she'd return. As always, she would come back and try.

"I don't know what's going through your head right now, but whatever it is, we can work through it…together. I love you, Hikari…I love you more than anything, and I always will. You're my daughter, Hikari-chan. I will always be here for you."

And with that, she turned away, leaving the eleven year old to curl up even tighter, biting her lip to keep the tears from coming.

" _Why must you say those things…why?_ "

Hearing those words always pulled at her heart, that warmth trying to resurface every time the other came about, but she had fallen back into her habits of rejecting it, doing so even more than she used to.

" _I love you, too…I love you so much…and it kills me to stay away from you, but I have to. I don't deserve a family. I failed to protect the family I had, and now she's gone…I couldn't save her. I don't deserve to be loved…I don't deserve anything…_ "

She quickly wiped away a tear before it could even make its way down her cheek. She hadn't cried since the day she lost Yuki and she wouldn't let herself. There wasn't any time for that.

" _Just forget about me…forget I even came here…let me go…_ "

At the last three words, something triggered in her mind, her thoughts spinning. Sitting up, she glanced around her room, the light from the afternoon sun shining in.

" _Let me go…_ "

Getting up, she went to her desk and pulled out a pen and paper. She knew what could be done to end this. She knew exactly how to make Erza forget…to make the woman move on without her.

" _…Go._ "

* * *

"Nothing still?"

Erza had made her way back down to her apartment, Mirajane spending time with her again. Taking a seat beside her, she let out a defeated sigh.

"Nothing…not a word."

Mirajane's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. This really was too much. She did understand Hikari was hurting, but to be blocking every one out, especially Erza…that was just, in her mind, wrong. This woman cared for her deeply…loved her unconditionally, and she knew Hikari loved her back, but she was too busy falling into whatever guilt she had and claiming she deserved none of this. The girl had to be snapped out of it.

"There's got to be something you can do….anything. She can't stay up there forever."

"I don't know what else to do. I've said anything I could possibly think of, but I don't know how else to get through to her. She's just hurting too much and fallen too deep into those feelings"

"And we have to break her from that."

"But how? That's the problem we're facing. If she's not listening to us, how else can we get her to see that we're really here…that all this isn't hurt fault?"

Mirajane thought for a moment, her mind digging deep on how they could possibly get the girl to listen. Many times she had wanted just to go all Satan Soul and break down the door herself, but Erza advised her against it, wanting the girl to come out on her own, but if there were no other options…

"Look, I know you don't agree with this because you want her to do this on her own, but if she's not listening, then maybe I should-"

 _-Click_ -

Mirajane quieted when the sound made its way through the room, catching the attention of both females. The sound came from Erza's door.

"Hikari?"

Getting up, they both headed that way, and upon their arrival, they spotted a little something they weren't expecting.

"Is that a letter?" Mirajane asked.

Kneeling down, Erza picked up the envelope, flipping and opening it up. Mirajane opened the door to see if someone was there, but found the area to be empty.

"What does it say?" Mira asked, turning to face the other.

Glancing over the words, her heart slowly began to break as she read out loud what it said.

" _Dear Erza,_

_To be honest, I'm not surprised you haven't stopped trying to get at me no matter what I've said or done. And you call me the stubborn one…but, it has to end. You have to leave me be. I've done a lot of wrong, letting Yuki die and not protecting her as I should have. She was my family and I couldn't even save her life. I don't deserve family and I don't want it. I don't want to feel warm, I don't want to feel loved…I don't want you. I'm not your daughter and you are not my Mother, please understand that. It's for the best. There are many out there who would make much better children than I. I apologize for the pain I've been causing, but this really is for the best._

_By the time you read this, I would have already left, so you can forget about me now. Just let me go and move on. Find another girl to be your daughter. You'd be better off, I promise. I really do apologize and wish you the best in life. Good bye, Erza._

_Hikari."_

"No…no…"

If Erza's heart wasn't already broken, it most definitely broke upon reading these words. Had this really happened? Had she just up and left?

"Hikari…my…Hikari…"

Mirajane took the letter from the woman's hand and re-read through it. She couldn't believe what she had heard. Did Hikari really think she'd be fixing things by running away?

"Erza, I-"

"Hikari!"

Without letting Mira finish, she tore from her room and ran upstairs. She found Hikari's door wide open, but she wasn't inside. The room empty with the exception of a few knick knacks the girl had left behind.

"Erza…" Mirajane said softly as she followed her. "Erza, if we hurry, we can probably catch her. We could-"

"Maybe…maybe it is for the best…"

These words took Mira off guard, not expecting to hear this from the woman.

"That's not true Erza and you know it. She's yours."

"Is she? Is she really? Who am I to lay claim on her…who am I to call her mine?"

"She is yours! You two are close…so close! She loves you! I know she does…you know it! She's just…she's-"

"Maybe it's best just to let her go…" Erza said softly, her voice shaky as she leaned back against the door. "If that's what she wants…what she  _really_  wants…"

"It's not! That isn't what she wants! She's…wait…what are you holding?"

It was just now she noticed the woman's hand held close to her chest, a bit of an object peeking out from her fingers. Reaching out, she took Erza's hand and opened it gently, her eyes widening at what she saw. There, right in the palm of her hand, was that silver heart pendant necklace she had given Hikari…the one that made the girl truly smile.

"Hikari…" Erza cried, clutching the item again and sliding to the ground. Tears were falling down her face fully now, unable to hold them back. Her chest hurt, her heart hurt, everything…everything was just…

"My…Hikari…"

This was it. This was the final straw. Mirajane couldn't take seeing Erza like this anymore, her anger now beyond boiling point. This had to stop. Hikari may have been hurting, but there was no need to be like this. So, with determination in her eyes, she stood up and headed back downstairs.

"Don't move." She told the woman, and with that, she disappeared.

* * *

" _Yuki…_ "

Running as fast as she could, Hikari had made her way to the train station. Her plan was to get off at Onibus and disappear into the woods, letting the road take her to where ever it led. She had no idea where she was going, but she just had to leave. By the time she got to the station, she saw that the train would soon be departing. She bought the ticket and planned to get on…she had every intention to, but when the time came, she froze, her chest tightening.

" _Is this really what you want? Do you really wish to leave?_ "

Though she told herself she had to go, she found it harder to do so than she thought. She knew it was because she really didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay, wanted to be with Erza, but with everything that happened, with everything that had been done...

" _You have to go…you just have to. You can't stay here anymore. You can't have a family…"_

She proceeded to step closer to the train, but stopped again, her chest tightening even more.

" _But Erza…she's hurting…you know she's hurting. You really going to do that to her?_

Hikari didn't like the idea of Erza in pain, especially since she was the cause, but if that's what it took for the woman to let her go…

" _Let her hurt. Then maybe she'll hate you…she really won't love you anymore and she'll forget you…it has to be that way…_ "

Taking a deep breath, she took a few more steps. It had to be done. She had no choice. Leaving Magnolia and Fairy Tail for good was the best for everyone and would work out in the long run. No one else would get hurt. They'd realize she was no good and maybe love another girl. Family wasn't for her. She just wasn't meant to have it.

With this in mind, she was close to getting on the train, but yet again found herself stopping. It wasn't, however, by her own thoughts, but by a voice she was not expecting to hear.

"Hikari!"

Turning, she found a white haired female running her way.

"Mirajane?"

The woman ran right up to her, stopping only inches away. The look on her face was an angry one, something Hikari had never seen before. Usually she was easy going and soft spoken, but this…this was not a happy look.

"How did you know I was-"

"You're coming home."

Her words were sharp and demanding, catching the eleven year old off guard, but it didn't break her. She couldn't go back and had already made up her mind not to.

"Mirajane-"

"What? No Mira-nee anymore? Just gonna drop me and forget I am your sister just like you dropped Erza and forget she is your Mother? No, I don't want to hear it. You're coming home and you're coming home now."

The words stung the girls heart, but she had to ignore it. Instead, she kept a dark and stern gaze, her brows furrowing a little as a bit of anger peaked out.

"No, I'm not."

"You are."

"No, I have no home."

"Fairy Tail is your home. Erza…Erza is your home."

"You're wrong. I don't have one with Fairy Tail or with you or with her...and I don't want one."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying." The little girl spat.

"You are. Every word out of that mouth is a lie."

"It is not!" she snapped. "What do you know?"

"I know that you don't mean what you say…that you consider Fairy Tail your family and love Erza with all your heart. I know how much you care for her and I know how much you know she loves you. Do you have any idea how much she's hurting right now? How much everyone is hurting?"

Hikari said nothing, angered eyes still locked with the woman's.

"Everyone…Lisanna, Lucy, Wendy, Natsu, Gray, Erza….me…everyone is hurting. We're hurting because someone we love is in a lot of pain, but isn't letting us help her. We're hurting because someone very precious to us is pulling away. This person has many arms she can fall into for love and for help but is rejecting it. And of all the love to reject…Erza's? This woman loves you more than life itself and is willing to do anything to help you get through this. She's in tears right now thinking she is never going to get her Hikari back. We don't want you to leave. Why can't you see that?"

"...Really? Everyone's hurting? They wouldn't be able to stand it if I left?"

"Yes!" Mira said back. "They wouldn't. Everyone loves you too much. They-"

"Hmph…" Hikari said, cutting Mira off and confusing her slightly when her gaze got angrier and darker. "You don't want me to leave...everyone loves me too much...now whose the one lying?"

Oh yeah, this was definitely the wrong thing to say, Mirajane's hands clenching tightly when she heard this.

"Excuse me?"

"Everyone's hurting…right…they all can't be hurting that bad. And even if they are hurting a little, let them. They'll get over it…you'll get over it…and Erza…so will she. Everyone will move on. Hurting everyone now is probably the best, especially for Erza. Then maybe she'll hate me, and when she does that, she'll-"

- _Smack-_

The sudden sound echoed through the station, some people stopping and staring at the action. Hikari was shocked most of all, her left cheek now stinging from where the hand had hit. Turning to face the woman again, she saw Mira staring back, her blue eyes even angrier and full of tears.

"How dare you say those things…how dare you accuse me of lying…"

Hikari felt her words get chocked up, her voice unable to make itself known.

"Let them hurt? Let the people who love you and who I know you love back hurt? They'll get over it? Do you really think you're so insignificant that we'd all just forget about you?"

Tear had begun to form in the eleven year olds eyes, but she didn't let them fall. She was still in too much shock over what had just happened.

"Hikari, you need to understand the depth of everyone's love for you…how much you truly mean to everyone in that guild. You've changed everyone's life, and for the better. You've given everyone a new friend…someone to laugh with. And Lisanna and I…we found a little sister in you. And Erza…Erza found a daughter. All of us could stand here right now and say I love you a thousand times and that wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of how deep that love runs. You are not insignificant…your life is not meaningless...you deserve family. Hikari, you are loved so much more than you think you are."

Hearing these words hurt the girl's heart, that ache to be with them all coming back.

"And you need to understand another thing. Yuki's death was not your fault. There was nothing anyone could do. No one expected the demon to hit that fast. Yes, it's unfair and I don't know why it happened, but it did. It was a seriously unfortunate event that no one had control over. You did your best to protect her when you were there, and you loved her. And even when you were gone, she never left your thoughts. That promise was always on your mind. Just because you left her that night over a year ago doesn't mean you're the reason she died. She was trying to protect you. If you had stayed, you could have been killed. Then what? She would never have you at all. As much as she wanted you there, it comforted her to know you had escaped. From what you've told me, she loved you…she loved you a lot, and I can tell you this right now, she would not want you blaming yourself for what happened. She wouldn't want you running away from a place that called you family…from a woman who called you her daughter. Hikari, you're loved, so damn loved, and no matter what you think or feel, Fairy Tail is your family, and Erza…Erza is your Mother. I saw that look in your eyes the night she spoke of adopting you. I saw that smile, I saw how happy you were. You want it…you want her…you want family, and we want you."

Mira reached up and wiped away some of her own tears that had fallen down her face.

"We want you Hikari, and if you don't believe me, then I'll prove it. We'll all prove it. Go on, run if you want, but we'll find you. Whether you follow or take off, we'll find where you are and prove to you how much you are part of this family. We'll prove how much we love you…we'll prove it."

And with that, saying no more, she turned and walked away. Somewhere along that walk though, she began to run, not wanting to waste anymore more time. Heading back to Erza's place, she found the woman still sitting by Hikari's door.

"Erza!" She called, heading up the stairs.

Sniffling, the scarlet haired woman looked over.

"Mira?"

"Erza come on, we're heading to the guild, and then we're leaving."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I know where Hikari is, but I don't know if she'll still be there by the time we arrive. We need to gather everyone together and go after her. Come on! We need to be quick!"

"But Mira-"

"Let's go!" she said, pulling the woman up by her hand.

"Mirajane, if she wants to leave, then let her go. I don't want to-"

"Oh don't you dare go falling into that…" Mira told her.

Erza quieted at Mirajane's sudden change in tone.

"She's your daughter and you know it…we all know. She wants you. She's just scared, hurt, and confused. We just have to make her see…we have to snap her out of it. She's almost there, we just need to give it one more push."

Moving in a little closer, she reached up and wiped away the tears from Erza's face, her voice now taking a softer tone.

"Don't give up, and don't go thinking she doesn't want you. I know I've said in the past that actions speak louder than words, but these actions are only based on the blame she is placing on herself. She doesn't truly want to leave you or anyone. She wants to be here…she wants her Mother. Please Erza, don't give up on her…"

Erza locked her gaze with the other and saw the deep sincerity in her eyes, guilt taking over her for a moment.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make it seem like I gave up on her or didn't love her or something. I just thought that…if she had really wanted to leave…"

"I know…" Mirajane said softly. "I know what you meant. She needs us more than ever Erza. She needs you. We're going to grab everyone in the guild we can and go after her. We'll show her she's not alone. We'll show her she has family. Erza…"

Though her heart was still hurting, she snapped out of whatever mode she was in and toughened up again, determination on her face and in her heart. Her child was in trouble…her daughter needed help, and she'd be damned if she didn't fight to bring her back, Hikari was family and she knew she wanted them as much as they wanted her. She wasn't going to lose the girl that easily, and with those thoughts in mind…

"Come on. Let's go."

The two then turned and headed for the guild.

* * *

" _I really have messed up…haven't I…_ "

In shock over the previous event, and unknowing of what to do, she had gotten on the train and travelled to Onibus, getting off as she had planned and heading into the woods, traveling in no particular direction. How long, she wasn't too sure, but it had been quite a bit for the sun would be setting very soon. She'd have to find shelter.

" _Or you could just go home…_ "

Hikari stopped in her tracks at this thought, finding herself in a clearing. Locating a nearby stump, she sat down beside it, leaning back against it for support.

" _Do you have any idea how much she's hurting right now? How much everyone is hurting?"_

Were they all really hurting that much? Had she hurt them more than she thought?

" _All of us could stand here right now and say I love you a thousand times and that wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of how deep that love runs_."

Did it really run that deep? Was she that unconditionally loved?

" _What the hell are you doing?_ "

Hikari lifted her hand and touched her cheek, the skin still stinging slightly. She really wasn't expecting Mirajane to get angry like that, but, with everything the woman was saying most likely being true, could she blame her? If she was just that loved by everyone, then she really was hurting them greatly. And Erza…

Hikari pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face, her heart aching as she thought of the woman. Mira was of course right. She did love Erza, and she knew Erza loved her, too. She was just hurting too much, and really thought she didn't deserve whatever love that came her way.

" _From what you've told me, she loved you…she loved you a lot, and I can tell you this right now, she would not want you blaming yourself for what happened. She wouldn't want you running away from a place that called you family…from a woman who called you her daughter."_

And she was right about that, too. She knew how much Yuki loved her, and she remembered that conversation that night under the stars about not running from someone who wanted to be her Mother. Yuki wouldn't want her like this…she'd want her happy…she'd want her to live and not blame herself.

_"Maybe…maybe it wasn't my fault. Maybe I'm not the reason Yuki's dead. I feel like it is, but…I don't know…"_

She still didn't know quite what to feel when it came to that, but she did know one thing, and she knew it from the start…that everything she was doing, that running away from the people she loved, was wrong. She was just too sucked into her own thought process to follow that gut feeling. And in knowing that…

" _Maybe I should go back…maybe I should return to them…but, is it really ok? Will they be too mad at me? Does Erza really want me back even after returning that necklace and giving the letter I wrote?"_

At this, her cheek stung again as if Mirajane was somehow reminding her to not think that way. She'd have to thank the woman for that slap at some point…but for now…

" _Erza…._ " Her heart clenched when she thought of her. " _Erza…I want you…I want to come home. I want my family…I want…my Mom…_ "

After a few more moments of thinking, she stood back up, facing the way she came. She still felt guilty for Yuki's death and felt guilty for how she had made everyone feel, but maybe if she was with them, all those feelings would somehow ease away…that if she was with her family…with her Mother…everything that she was confused about would start to make sense.

" _Erza…_ "

Snapping out of her previous thought process, she stood up. She was going to return to them. She was going to go back, apologize, and hope they would forgive her. And if they did, she would do what she should have in the first place and let them be there for her. She'd let them help and hope that somehow, things would just start to make sense. So, with that in mind, she proceeded to head back, running back towards Onibus.

" _I'm coming….I'm coming home Erza. Please don't hate me…I'm really sorry for the way I was acting and for what I did. I promise I don't hate you, so please don't think that. I'm still confused about everything and I still feel guilty about Yuki, but if you say you can help me through it, then I trust you…I trust all of you…_ "

She continued to run; her pace picking up, but half way through, something strange began to happen. The ground below her began to shake, causing her to stop. She thought that perhaps it was her imagination and was going to take off again, but then the shaking returned, this time stronger, a loud rumble accompanying it.

"What is that…"

It was then her nose began picking up a strange smell, a sense of strong magic taking over her…and it was not the good kind. Knowing this was probably bad, especially without her magic, she turned to run again, but with the next rumble, she tripped and fell, the scent now stronger. With the rumbles and the shaking more frequent, she turned to see what the cause could be, and when she did, her eyes widened at what they fell upon, fear filling her system.

"No way…it can't be…"

But it was, and as the tall, wide, massive figure came closer, her heart nearly stopped, the creatures red eyes now on her. This was him…this was the one everyone was talking about…

"Gaimeka…"


	9. Flight of the Fire Dragon

Brown eyes stared up at the demon in fear. She knew from the others that he was big…but this big? He was taller than all the surrounding trees, his body wide and made of dark brown rock. His eyes were glowing a deep red and a strange black symbol was on his chest, right above where one's heart would be. As she stared up at it, the demon looked down, his gaze sending chills through her spine.

" _You have to move…run, Hikari…run…_ "

And she would have, but right before she could, another thought crossed her mind.

" _Onibus is right behind me…_ "

She didn't want to run that way. She didn't want to run there at all. There was no way she would let him destroy another town and take more lives.

" _But what can you do…without your magic…_ "

She knew that would be a big problem, but she wasn't going to let that get in her way. If she could just find a way to somehow distract him…to somehow make him change his course, send him in another direction, then run back to Fairy Tail to get everyone, then maybe Onibus would be safe, and Magnolia too since it was not too far behind it. Plus…

" _He's the real reason Yuki is dead…_ "

There was still a great part of her that blamed herself, but she also know that her sister's injuries she had died from had been done thanks to his work…that she had gotten so hurt in the first place because of him, leaving her pain and anger to boil on the spot.

" _Yuki…Yuki…_ "

"You'll not destroy another town." She said, finally speaking to the demon. Her brows were furrowed in anger, her hands clenched as the want to fight him grew strong.

"You won't take any more lives…Gaimeka!"

Hearing this, the demon only laughed, the sound deep and frightening.

"Of all the people who have tried to stop me, you're the first little girl who has stood to fight on her own. This world has changed since my time, hasn't it?"

"And I'll be the last little girl you'll ever see. No one else will die because of you!"

"Big words for someone standing alone…"

"I'm not afraid..."

Gaimeka laughed again, Hikari keeping her gaze angered and her stance strong. Yes, she had no magic to fight with, but that didn't mean she couldn't still try and protect.

"If you have no fear then you are truly foolish. Are you even a wizard? I don't sense any magic from you."

"I am a wizard of the strongest guild in Fiore…" she told him, pulling up her sleeve to show her mark. "Even if I can't defeat you on my own, they will. They'll come running when I tell them and they'll kill you… you'll never be able to destroy again."

"And what makes you think you'll live long enough to tell them anything?"

"Just watch me. Don't underestimate a Fairy Tail mage."

And with that, she ran off in the complete opposite direction of where Onibus and Fairy Tail were. Much to her luck, Gaimeka had taken the bait and went after her. Though he was slower, his long, heavy legs took him far in just one step, the ground shaking every time he touched it. This kept the Dragon Slayer unbalanced, always having to catch herself before she completely fell. This was harder than she thought though, the demon gaining on her quite quickly.

" _But you have to keep running…get him as far away from the town as possible before you go hiding._ "

And she did keep going. However, that wasn't enough, for before she knew it, the ground shook even harder beneath her, the rock actually breaking thanks to Gaimeka now hitting it with his hand. This caused her to topple and nearly fall into the large hole where the ground had split, but she caught the edge last second, pulling herself up and running even more. The demon, however, hit the ground again, Hikari falling, but this time, it was Gaimeka who caught her, squeezing her tight and pulling her up close to his face.

"And already you have failed and the chase has barely begun." He told her, squeezing her tighter. Hikari closed her eyes, wincing in pain and letting out a yelp as she felt her body slowly get crushed. She managed to open them again though, her angered eyes locked with the red ones.

"I haven't failed…" she told him. "You'll die regardless of what happens to me. Fairy Tail won't let anything else happen to anyone. You already took someone precious to me…no one else will die. They were already after you and will eventually find you. There's nothing you can do to stop them."

"I have already taken so many lives, even those of wizards." He said, his grip tightening. "No one is strong enough to face me, not even your pathetic little guild. And when they realize I've killed one of their own, they'll see how strong I really am and each will fall to me."

And then, without warning, he whipped his hand, throwing the girl across a good part of the forest and into a tree. She hit the trunk hard, the air getting knocked out of her, and struggled to breathe when she hit the ground.

" _I have…to get…up…_ " she told herself. She had to start running again. She wasn't far enough from the towns. If he wanted to kill her, she wanted him to chase her again for it. She just had to get him far enough and somehow escape back to Fairy Tail to warn them…

"Ah!"

She attempted to stand up, but everything hurt. Even breathing was painful, but if she didn't move…

" _I don't want anyone feeling the pain I did…I don't want anyone else losing loved ones…Yuki-chan…I couldn't save you…but if I can somehow help save others…just…_ "

She pushed herself back up until she was on her hands and knees, eyes finding the demon as he came closer, stopping right in front of her.

"So pathetic…"

She wanted to run…she knew she had to, but the hit she took was hard. She was already in a weakened state with her magic gone. To take a blow like that and to run as she was before…

" _Maybe this is it…_ " she thought. " _Maybe I do end here…what else can I do? My magic isn't returning, I can't run…I can only hope Fairy Tail will find him and…_ "

The thought of Fairy Tail broke her heart, her eyes glazing up. She really had done something terrible to leave them like that…to hurt everyone. They were all in pain because of her. She had hurt her family…and most of all…

" _Erza…._ "

It killed her to push her away as she had, even more so in knowing how much she hurt the woman. If she could go back in time, she'd change everything. She wouldn't have run…she would have leaned on them all…she would have stayed in Erza's arms the day she finally returned. She would have done things so differently…

" _And I would have told you I loved you…_ " she thought, Erza running through her mind. Those were words she could never utter to the other out of fear. " _I would have said it to you over and over…and…I wouldn't have called you Erza anymore…_ "

There was another word that had refused to come out of her mouth…a word she had always wished to desperately say but could never bring herself to do it.

" _I wouldn't have…because…you're not just my Erza…no. You're my….my…_ "

"If everyone in Fairy Tail is just like you, then I will have no problem at all. Be prepared to meet your lost one, mage."

He then balled his fist and shot it towards the girl, and as Hikari waited for the hit, she closed her eyes and uttered one single word.

"Mother."

- _Smash!-_

By all means, that fist should have hit her knowing she had nowhere to go, and she was waiting for it, but when the fist made contact, she felt nothing. There was no pain…no darkness…the only thing she could feel was…

" _Warmth_."

Snapping her eyes open, she saw the tree that she had been stuck in front of crushed, but she was not near it. Instead, she found herself in the most unexpected place.

" _No…way…_ "

As always, the woman always seemed to be around when the word "Mother" passed through her thoughts. Though she had spoken it out loud instead, it seemed it was no different from any other time.

"Er…za…" she stuttered out in shock.

The woman tightened her embrace around the little girl, hiding her face in the child's dark locks. Her body was shaking slightly as she held her, tears falling down her face.

"Hikari…" she whispered. "I'm here…your Mother…is here…"

"Erza…" Hikari called again softly, tears falling down her own face as well. "...M-mother...Mommy..."

Erza hugged her tighter.

"Hikari! Erza!"

At the voice, Hikari looked to her side, her eyes widening even more when she saw who was coming.

"M…Mira?"

And not just Mira, but everyone. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Gray, Carla, Happy, Lisanna…the whole gang.

"Everyone…why…why are you…"

"Why are we here?" Mirajane asked, finishing the girl's sentence. "Didn't I say that if you ran, we'd all find you and prove how much you are part of this family?"

" _They came…_ " the girl thought, more tears forming in her eyes. " _They all really came…_ "

"Mira-nee! Watch out!"

At Lisanna's warning, Mirajane and the group jumped out of the way at a sudden fist coming at them, Erza still holding onto Hikari tightly as they did so.

"I don't care how many of you come!" Gaimeka shouted. "I will kill you all!"

"Fat chance you bastard!" Natsu shouted. "You've killed way too many people and now you're messing with the wrong guild! You have no idea how long I've waited to fight you…"

"We do it together, Natsu." Mirajane told him, now standing by his side.

"I can't believe…everyone came back…everyone came…for me…"

"Why wouldn't we come?" Lucy asked, winking at the child. "You are part of this Fairy Tail family after all."

"But…I pushed everyone away…"

"And you thought that would scare us off?" Lisanna replied. "Everybody loves you too much to just disappear on you…and you're my little sister. I'd never leave your side even no matter how hard you pushed."

"Nobody would." Wendy continued. "We care about you too much…I care about you…"

"So stop being so stubborn." Gray added. "You have a family, get over it."

"We're here for you, Hikari-chan…" Erza said softly, the girl now locking gazes with her. "We'll always be here for you. Nothing you say or do will scare us off. You're our Hikari…my daughter. You'll always have a family with us."

At this point, Hikari's tears were falling even harder. After all she had done to Erza…after pushing everyone away and worrying them endlessly, they still came for her and called her family. She still had a home.

"Everyone…" she sniffled, half hiding her face in Erza's shoulder. "My family…"

Erza hugged the girl warmly, giving her a kiss on the head before pulling away.

"Yes, your family, and now, this family is going to protect you. You're hurt enough, and even more vulnerable with no magic, so stay safe. Lucy, Lisanna, Wendy!"

The three ran over when they were called.

"Stay with her…help keep her safe. I'm going to fight the demon with the rest."

"Don't worry, we have her." Lucy told her as she, Lisanna, and Wendy helped the eleven year old up, Carla and Happy following "We'll keep her safe."

Hikari was a little fearful in letting Erza go. Her entire body was still in pain from the hit and she didn't want the other, or any of them to get that hurt, but Erza was tough…one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail, so she'd be ok, right?"

"Mommy..."

Erza looked back at her, a warm smile on her face.

"I'll be back my Hikari, I promise."

And with that, she joined the others.

"She'll be all right." Lisanna told her, trying to comfort the girl as they pulled her towards a nearby boulder. "You know how strong she is."

"They're all strong. They'll defeat him so he can't hurt anyone else." Wendy added. "Don't worry Hikari-chan…everything will be all right. Come on, let me heal you."

As Hikari let Wendy do her work, she watched the others with a bit of fear and they prepared to fight. She already lost one precious person to him already…she didn't want to lose anymore.

"You remember what the Master said about defeating him?" Mira asked.

"That there's a lacrima in his chest." Gray answered. "Most likely where that mark is. We have to aim for that and break it."

"And we need to do it fast." Erza said, already re-quipping into her heaven wheel armor. "I know we can all feel how strong his magic is."

"Then let's do this!" Natsu shouted. "I'm all revved up!"

Gaimeka simply laughed at this. Amused at what he was seeing.

"I love seeing such hope and determination. It makes killing you all so much more fun. Come then, it's been awhile since I've really played because everyone else has died so easily."

"You'll be the one dying." Mirajane told him. "You hurt too many innocent people…destroyed towns, and hurt someone in our family. There's no forgiving any of that. This will be your final fight, and we'll make sure of it….Satan Soul!"

Hikari watched as Mira did her take over. She had heard about this side of her, but never witnessed it herself, the sight taking her completely off guard. She definitely looked scary…

" _Mira-nee…_ "

"Together!" Mira shouted. "Let's go!"

And all at once, the four attacked.

As it began, Hikari watched in awe at how quickly they each moved. She knew they were strong, but to see them fighting at such a level…

"Ice make: Lance!"

"Fire Dragon's Wing attack!"

"Go fourth my blades! Trinity Sword!"

The attacks being made were amazing, each trying to do some kind of damage to the demon's rocky body, the demon swiping and grabbing at them while they did so, but each dodging easily. However, they couldn't seem to get too much damage on him, making only little cracks here and there. They knew they had to hit the lacrima, but he protected it well, guarding it every time someone got close, hence why they were trying to do damage to his body first.

"Evil explosion!" Mira shouted, casting it and hitting him directly in the shoulder. Gaimeka struck at the woman, but she dodged, spinning and kicking the hand back. Though four were on the demon, Gaimeka could keep up well with each. That didn't stop any of them though, especially Mirajane, who kept throwing a slew of attacks his way.

"She's amazing…" Hikari said, still in awe. "I heard stories of her being strong, but…wow. I didn't see this coming. From her personality, I never would have known just how…how powerful she could be…"

"She is pretty amazing." Wendy commented as she continued to heal her friend, Carla on her shoulder.

"She's an S-class wizard after all." Happy commented.

"Just goes to show you that you don't need to be tough all the time to be "bad"." Lucy said to her with a little wink.

Hikari's eyes widened a little at the thought. She herself was the type who always thought she had to be tough so others would view her as strong. She didn't like to be viewed as weak, but Mirajane wasn't like that at all. She was one of the calmest, nicest, and most loveable people out there, and yet here she was wielding such great magic and strength.

" _Maybe being close to people in the guild makes her that way…maybe…maybe letting people in and being part of a family does make one stronger…_ "

Flying back, Mira then conjured a black ball of energy in her hand.

"Soul Extinction!"

Launching it in Gaimeka's direction, it hit him in the chest, just missing where the lacrima was. It traveled through the area and left a hole, a look of satisfaction now on the white haired woman's face. A break had finally been made.

"Attack him even harder!" Erza shouted. "Pentagram sword!"

Aiming the attack at the demon's leg, she slashed the symbol of the star and sliced right through it, cutting it off. Right at that moment, Natsu shot towards the creature, flames engulfing his whole body.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

A giant fireball then formed and shot towards the demon, hitting it right in the arm and knocking that off as well. With all these hits, the demon fell and hit the ground, the earth shaking as he did. Lucy huddled over the children to keep them from toppling over, and now, with the creature on the ground…

"Gray!" Mirajane shouted.

"On it! Ice make: Canon!"

His creation magic brought forth a giant ice canon and he aimed it right at the mark on Gaimeka's chest.

"This ends now…" he said. "You're time is done."

And with that, he readied to fire, but right before he could, Gaimeka let out an evil, dark laugh that took everyone off guard.

"Fools…" he spoke. "Such fools…as if you could defeat me so easily…how I love toying with my prey…"

And then, right before their eyes, his broken body began to reform, the rock all coming back together until he was whole again.

"I am Gaimeka!" he shouted, standing up "The demon that will end all life! I will not fall!"

"All the rock came back together…" Wendy said, frightened at the sight. "How can that be?"

"It's just like the rock I'm always trying to break at the guild." Hikari mentioned. "It would reform every time I hit it unless I destroyed it fully in one attack…"

"Maybe that's the case here." Lisanna told her. "Except that one hit needs to be where the lacrima lay in his chest."

Hikari had overheard them say that before the fight began.

"It's got to be right where that mark on his chest is." Lucy said. "But how can they get to it? No matter what they've done, they've never been able to get close enough to do it."

" _Damn it…he reforms..._ " Mirajane said to herself, eyes furrowing in frustration. They'd have to change their tactics because of this.

"Do you really think you can destroy a demon like me?" Gaimeka asked. "No one survives when I decide to kill them and neither will you. I'm done playing…let me show you my true power!"

As he said these words, another set of rocky hands grew from the side of his body, four of them now flying towards the mages and wasting no time in attacking. With each wizard now fighting off one of the hands, it was now harder to attack where the lacrima lie.

"There's a first time for everything!" Natsu shouted, getting even more revved up. "You're the one who won't be surviving!"

He fired up again, running towards the demon to attack.

"You'll never kill again! Fire Dragon's Brilliant-Ah!"

Before he could get close enough to hit, one of the many hands came flying down and smacked Natsu out of the way, slamming him into a nearby boulder.

"Natsu!" Gray shouted. Gaimeka used this small moment of distraction to now hit the ice mage as well, sending him flying into a tree.

"Natsu! Gray!" Erza shouted, dodging and attacking the rock hands. Two were coming at her now, the other two going after Mirajane. She was doing well to fight them off and probably would have attempted to slice one off again, but another action caught her eye. With Mira turned and fighting two of the hands, a third snuck in to join, moving away from Erza and reaching out for the vulnerable take over sibling.

"Mira watch out!" Erza shouted!

Without a second thought, she flew towards the woman, pushing her out of the way, but when she did so, she herself was grabbed by the oncoming hand and squeezed tightly.

"Mommy!" Hikari shouted, fear filling her system.

"How heroic of you." The demon mocked. "Trying to save the life of your dear friend."

"Erza!" Mirajane shouted. She tried flying over to help, but the three other hands kept her busy. Erza tried to speak, but the demon just squeezed tighter, causing her to yell in pain instead.

"Mom!" Hikari shouted again, now standing up. Most of her strength had come back thanks to Wendy's healing. "Let her go!"

Gaimeka heard this cry and looked down at the child, merely laughing again.

"Another precious one for you?" he asked. "How sweet…too bad you will lose her, too. Put her down you say? Very well…"

And before anyone could stop him, he swung his hand down, crashing it hard into the ground with the woman still in grip. The quake was so large it knocked Hikari over again, but the girl pushed herself right back up, looking over wide eyed in fear.

"Mom!"

Hikari's voice echoed as the demon pulled his hand away, revealing a small hole. Without even thinking, the eleven year old took off and ran over to where her Mother lie. Seeing this, Gaimeka attempted to reach down and grab her, but Gray, after pulling himself back up, blocked him.

"Don't touch her!"

Another hand attempted to do the same, but it was Natsu this time then defended against it.

"Leave her alone!"

With the other three now taking on the four hands, Hikari dropped by Erza's side and rolled her over, her eyes filled with tears.

"Mom…Mommy wake up!"

The woman had seemed unconscious, her armor broken and body badly beaten, but at the sound of Hikari's voice, her eyes opened.

"Erza!" Lucy shouted, her , Carla, Happy, Lisanna, and Wendy now joining by Hikari's side.

"Mom…" the girl cried, holding the woman close. "Mommy, please stay with me…"

Erza tried sitting up, but flinched in pain, finding herself unable to move.

"I'm not going anywhere…" Erza said managing a small smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've been hurt a lot worse than this…"

But that didn't ease the girl at all, panic already set in. She had just lost Yuki, someone who was a sister to her, and now watching Erza get hit and slammed as hard as she did, her armor even breaking, it sent that fear of losing a loved one right through her system all over again, this fear causing to hold the woman closer.

"Mommy…"

"I'll start healing her." Wendy said, quickly putting her hands over the woman's body.

"You already used a lot of magic on Hikari!" Carla told her.

"I can still do it!" Wendy said back. She didn't just want to sit around with her friend hurt and she most definitely didn't want to see Hikari so upset again. "I have to!"

"Mom…don't die…."

Though the woman was in a lot of pain, she knew she'd be all right. She really had taken worst hits then this and lived to tell the tale.

"Hikari, I-"

"Mom…" Hikari's body began to shake slightly as she held the woman tight, tears falling down her face. She remembered the image of Yuki dying in front of her and that fear was brought right back up in seeing Erza this hurt. She couldn't lose her, too…she couldn't…

Erza tried reaching up to cup her face, but everything hurt too much to move, leaving only her words to hopefully calm her child.

"Hikari, I'll be ok." She told her. "I promise. It's you who needs to get out of here. You're too close, and without your magic…Wendy, Lisanna, Lucy, Happy, Carla, you all back away, too. I'll be all right. I-"

"We're not leaving…" Hikari said.

"You have to….you-"

"I said we're not leaving!"

So many times had Erza protected her in the past, even from the little things. From day one, the woman was always trying to help her out, and with all that being done, she wouldn't just turn away and leave her Mother.

"Keep healing , Wendy." Hikari told her, the blue haired girl nodding.

"I will…"

"But Hikari-"

"We're staying…we're going to protect you…just like you've protected me. You always protect me."

She hid her face in the woman's hair, her arms clinging tightly to her body.

"You're my Mother… _my_ Mother…I don't want to lose you. I…I need you…I need my Mother…"

"Hikari…" the woman said softly.

Hikari's heart was all over the place…full of fear, love, pain, warmth…but there was something else…something different…a new kind of warmth flaming in her chest.

"Mommy…I…I love you…"

Erza's eyes widened slightly when she heard this, those words never being spoken by the younger child. Even Lucy and the rest there were shocked to hear it.

"I love you…"

Erza's eyes watered as she listen, wishing she could do more to comfort the frightened child.

"My Hikari…"

After giving another little squeeze, the girl pulled away, standing up and moving in front of the other five.

"Everyone…don't leave her side…"

"Hikari…" Lucy said, a bit worried. "What are you-"

"Don't leave her…."

Hikari then walked away, moving closer to the demon.

"Wait, Hikari!" Lisanna shouted. "Hikari come back! You-"

"So strong…"

The blond looked over at the twelve year old female, who, while healing Erza, had an odd look on her face, her eyes wide.

"Wendy, what is it?" Carla asked.

"It's…so strong…"

"What's strong?" Lucy asked.

"Magic…" she whispered. "The magic…"

"Magic?" Happy questioned.

"Who's magic?" Lisanna asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Strong…"

"Hikari! Back away!"

Mirajane saw the girl moving closer as she continued fighting off the demon with Natsu and Gray. It was getting harder now that they were down a person, but they still kept it up, trying to find a way to break that Lacrima.

"Hikari go!"

But she didn't listen, the girl looking up and eyeing the demon instead.

" _No more….no more…_ "

This was the creature that had taken her Yuki away…this was the demon who tried killing her Mother. This was the one attacking her family, and it had to end…it had to end now.

" _No more…_ "

She had already lost Yuki and now Erza was seriously injured, striking a chord of great fear in her heart. It scared her, and if she didn't realize how precious the woman was to her before, seeing Erza in that state made her realize it now. However, despite the sadness and fear she was feeling, that's not what was boiling in her chest. A new feeling had taken over. Though it was familiar, there was something different about it…a deeper warmth…a new flame…

"Hikari please! Get out of here!" Mirajane shouted again.

Gaimeka spotted the little girl and laughed evilly.

"Standing up to me again, stupid little girl?" he asked. "You must really want to die…well let me arrange that for you!"

One of his hands then went flying down in the child's direction, Hikari making no movement as it descended. In seeing this, Mira managed to get away from the other hands and fly in her direction, but Gaimeka's fist got there first, making contact with the little girl.

"Hikari!"

She, and everyone who had been watching, was expecting to see a terrible sight, but what they ended up witnessing was something they were not expecting at all, Lucy's eyes widening as she watched.

"Look! Her flames!"

Though the hand came down, Hikari had stopped it with her own, holding the fist back with her own power. The flames that had gone dormant now surrounded the entirety of her body, glowing brighter and brighter by the second. A new strength had filled her system and was more than ever ready to fight.

"You've hurt too many people…" she said lowly. "But you're done…done…I won't let you take anyone else from my life…not my Mother….not my…family. No more…no more!"

The last two words came out as a yell, and as those words echoed across the forest, her flames grew, shooting towards the sky.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked. "What's happening?"

"Hikari!" Natsu shouted.

With each passing second, the girl's flames grew, and soon enough, they began to change, not only the flames, but Hikari as well.

"Her body…what's happening?" Gray asked.

"What's g-going on…" Lisanna stuttered. "It's…it's…"

"Atlas Flame…" Wendy said. "A dragon with heat equivalent to the flames of hell. The dragon itself has no physical body, but of body made of fire…so much that it looks like a skeleton with flames…"

A skeleton with flames…it was this…this very description Wendy gave…that they were all now seeing. Hikari's body had disappeared fully, flames taking over instead. Her features were gone and she was covered in fire, and even had wings made from it.

" _The daughter of Atlas Flame…"_ Mirajane thought in awe.

"No more killing…." Hikari said. "No more pain….no more! Secret Dragon Slayer Art- Dragon Soul!"

And with a new burst of power, she pushed Gaimeka's hand back, now taking flight with her flame wings and heading in his direction.

"I've seen scales appear on Natsu's body…" Lucy said. "And Gajeel's turn into iron…and now Hikari…"

Erza watched, her eyes, though slightly worried, in awe as she watched her child change.

" _Hikari…_ "

"A dragon slayer." Gaimeka said, shocked as well from this sight, but it did not make him stop. "How interesting, but you shall still not win! You will be defeated!"

He then started attacking her, sending two of the hands in her direction. She however easily dodged, flying away from one and kicking the other. She then sped in and landed a combo of kicks and punches onto the demon's head, catching him off guard. She even managed to break a few pieces from that area as well.

"Her speed is faster than it's ever been." Wendy pointed out, still in shock. "And her strength…I've never seen her this strong…"

Hikari continued throwing combos, landing any hit she could.

"Fire Dragon's Flame Claw! Fire Dragon's Flame Burst!"

"Don't take all my fun!" Natsu shouted, firing up even more and throwing attacks. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"We need to aim for the mark!" Gray shouted. "We have to break that lacrima! That's the only way we can defeat him!"

"We need to get rid of one more hand at least first!" Mirajane told them. "And then attack the lacrima before it grows back. Everyone focus your attacks on the upper right arm!"

Without question, they all did so, the attacks coming all at once.

"Ice make: Hammer!"

"Soul extinction"

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

At the magic all went off, they began combining together until it was a single, strong attack.

"A unison raid!" Carla said.

Their combined magic hit the demon right on the shoulder, knocking off a good chunk of it as well as the entire arm. The three other hands that were left all went after them, but they were stopped. One by Gray, one by Natsu, and the other by Mira.

"Go for his chest!" Mirajane told Hikari. "Aim for the mark! We have to break that lacrima!"

She didn't have to be told twice,. Within half a second, she flew towards the area while the others kept the hands away, , her speed increasing the closer she got.

" _No more…no more…_ "

Closer and closer his chest came, and within moments, she would have hit it, but right before she could, the missing arm and hand managed to reform and Gaimeka caught the girl right in the palm of it, curling it and wrapping her fully, her body now in his grasp.

"Hikari!" Mirajane shouted.

"I told you!" Gaimeka shouted. "No one can defeat me! I will kill everyone! Destroy the world! I'll-"

He was going to continue, but his sentence was then cut short by a strange feeling in his hand.

"Wait…what is this…what's going on!"

Before he had time to comprehend, the heat he was now suddenly feeling grew extremely strong, his hand suddenly exploding, and right from the hand, with the same speed she had before, Hikari came flying out, and in seconds, she made contact with his chest, bursting right through it.

"No!" he shouted. "No!"

But it was done. Hikari had hit the lacrima straight out and destroyed it, breaking it into smithereens. The dying sound of the demon echoed in the air, and moments after, his body crumbled entirely, the earth shaking as it hit the ground. Gaimeka was finally defeated.

It took a good minute or so for the earth to finally stand still, everything going quiet when it did. At first, nothing moved, but after a few moments, a voice could be heard.

"Lucy? Lisanna?"

Wendy, who was covered in a bit of rock that went flying, pushed herself up and looked around, finding them both and getting up as well from the sudden blast of rocks.

"I'm all right.." Lucy said rubbing the back of her head.

"Me as well." Lisanna piped in.

"We are, too." Happy said, helping Carla up.

"Erza!" Lucy said, crawling towards the woman.

"I'm ok." She told her, sitting up slightly. "Though Wendy didn't finish the healing, she was given enough strength to move around a little more.

"Where's everyone else?" Wendy asked. "Natsu? Gray!"

"Kyaaaaaa!"

Natsu suddenly popped up from a piled of rocks, standing with all the energy in the world and eyes on the crumbled pile that was once the demons body.

"We did it!"

"Finally…" Gray muttered, pushing himself from under a pile as well and standing up. "What a fight. Is everyone ok?"

"I am." Mirajane piped in, unburying herself and taking a stand, her form now back to normal. "Thank god…he's destroyed…"

"I knew we'd do it!" Natsu shouted. "Damn demon! This will show the Master I can handle an S class quest!"

"Is that all you're thinking about…" Lucy asked.

"I'll have to be made an S-class wizard now!"

"Baka, Natsu…" Gray muttered. "You're so annoying."

"Shut it ice boy!" he raged. "You-"

"Wait!" Mirajane cut in, slightly panicked. "Where's Hikari?"

This altered Erza a bit as everyone else was there but her child.

"Hikari!" Mira shouted. "Hikari!"

At first, nothing happened, worrying them all, but moments after, the sound of crumbling rock could be heard, Hikari's body popping out right after.

"Hikari-chan!" Wendy shouted, happy to see she was alive, her body back to normal as well.

"Hikari…" Erza said softly, a small smile forming in seeing her daughter was ok.

"Hikari…" Mira said, making her way over to her. "Hikari, are you all right?"

Hikari said nothing and just stood up, grasping onto her arm which was in quite a bit of pain.

"Hikari?"

Still nothing, the girl moving and limping away from the group in silence. As she made her way out of the rubble, she headed in Erza's direction, every bit of her just wanting the woman right now.

" _He's gone…_ " she told herself. " _He's gone…"_

The demon that killed Yuki…the one that took her precious little sister and almost her Mother.

" _He's gone.."_

Extremely oblivious and out of sorts, she finally reached Erza and fell to her knees, her body feeling extremely weak.

"Mom…" she muttered.

"I'm ok…" Erza told her. "I promise I'm ok, but are you? Hikari, look at me…"

Hikari kept her eyes low, her whole world seeming funny.

"Hikari, talk to me…are you all right? Look at me!"

Slowly lifting her head, she met the gaze of her Mother. Though she seemed badly injured, something told her she'd be all right…that the woman would live, and that thought seemed to ease her greatly.

"Hikari…"

"Mommy…" she said softly, and moments after, she blacked out.

 


	10. Sisters

"She did get beat up pretty bad, but thanks to Wendy's healing, any major injuries are ok. She could have been hurt a lot worst, but even without her magic, it seems her body held up well enough. Always has to be the tough one…"

The normal crew, along with the Master, stood in the infirmary room around the sleeping Dragon Slayer, listening as Mirajane spoke. Three days had passed since the attack, but the child still had not woken up.

"How long do you think she will sleep?" Lisanna asked.

"Well, from what you told me, she might be out for a while." Said the Master. "She went from having magic, to taking an emotional blow and losing it, then right back to using it, in a great amount might I add, upon its return. She unlocked a strong part of her magic. She is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Dragon Soul…to use a Secret Dragon Slayer Art at such a young age…"

"It all happened so quickly." Wendy spoke, holding Carla close. "I knew something with her magic was different the moment it returned. It was stronger than I ever felt."

"I could feel it, too." Natsu said, Happy sitting on his shoulder.

"Her whole body…it…changed." Lucy added. "She wasn't herself anymore.

"The true power of the Daughter of Atlas Flame…" Gray murmured.

They were all silent for a moment as they remembered that day.

"Is it really normal for her to be out this long?" Wendy asked.

Makarov nodded.

"You've seen Natsu sleep for a while after using too much magic." Lucy told the twelve year old, trying to comfort her. "She'll be ok."

Looking back at the sleeping girl, Lucy's eyes also fell upon the scarlet haired woman that sat beside her.

"Erza…"

The mage, who had been silent this whole time, sat beside Hikari, her hand in the child's as she slept, a worried look on her face.

"Erza…she  _is_ going to be all right." Lucy said again, her voice soft. "You know she will."

"I know…" she said quietly. "Just…"

The woman went silent again, squeezing Hikari's hand a little more. Yes, she knew her child would be all right, but her heart wouldn't ease until those brown eyes opened.

"Bet you she'll freak when she sees she's in the infirmary. You know how she gets when she's forced to get bandaged up and stuff." A few giggled at Lisanna's words, the mood lightening up a bit. "Didn't she throw you a string of curses the very first time you bandaged her up Erza?"

This caused the woman to smile a little, the memory floating into her mind as it if happened yesterday.

"Oh yes, that she did." She replied. "I don't even think she breathed in between sentences with how much she was saying to me."

"And do you remember the amount of curses she'd throw every time you would try and hug her in public?" Mirajane asked with a smirk. "She always has something to say."

"She's a fierce little thing." Lucy said.

"I used to wonder where she got all her energy from." Makarov said after.

"I remember the time she threw the chair at Natsu…" Gray added.

"Gray you bastard! Shut up!"

The crowd giggled again at the memories. Mirajane, who was standing near Erza, walked a little closer, placing her hand on the woman's shoulder and squeezing it gently.

"But she did change over time. She started to let you take care of her, and she did love the affection you gave even if she would still yell at you if you or anyone did it in public, but even that changed too towards the end."

Erza nodded, remembering the day Hikari jumped into her arms and hugged her in front of everyone. It was also the day she spoke to her about the adoption…about wanting to keep her and having her take her last name. It had been a happy day right up until the news of Gaimeka came. Everything went downhill after that, Hikari even claiming she didn't want the woman to be her Mother anymore after Yuki died. She even believed for a bit of time that was true. It was Mirajane that knocked the sense back into Erza, though, the woman did still have a few worries.

"Do you think she'll still want to be mine?"

The whole room went silent, Mirajane cocking an eyebrow at the question.

"You're kidding me…right?" she asked.

Erza looked back at the woman, her eyes a bit sad as she spoke.

"Well I mean, she's probably still hurt about Yuki. And well, you know…"

"Erza…she called you Mother." Lucy pointed. "And she said she loved you."

"I know, but-"

"And though she is probably still hurting about Yuki, she knows it's ok to come to everyone…to come to you." Lisanna told her. "She called everyone family before we started fighting Gaimeka, remember?"

"I do, just-"

"No ifs, ands, justs, or buts…anything." Mirajane told her. "You don't even need to be asking that question. You know very well she still wants to be yours. She  _is_  yours."

Erza quieted her excuses after that, looking up at the white haired female meekly.

"Yeah…sorry…I was just-"

"Erza…"

The newest voice shocked everyone, their gaze now on the young brunette. The girl was stirring in her sleep, her brows furrowed as if something was bothering her.

"Is she waking?" Wendy asked.

"I don't know." The Master replied.

Hikari continued to stir, the girl mumbling out a few inaudible words.

"It looks like she is having a bad dream." Lucy said.

"Er…za…"

Erza squeezed the girl's hand a little tighter, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead gently.

"I'm here, my Hikari." She whispered into her ear. "Don't be afraid. I'm right here."

This seemed to do the trick; Hikari's stirring easing up a bit, her look softening as well.

"And if you need any more proof, you got It right then." Mirajane told her. "Of all the people she could cry out for in her sleep, she cried for you. It's you she wants, Erza. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

She was right. She didn't. No matter what little fears floated in her mind, she had to tell herself to ignore them. That she needn't be afraid. Hikari was her little girl…there was no doubt about that. She didn't need to worry anymore…she didn't need to wonder.

"Hikari…"

Regardless of who was around, Erza made her move anyways, lifting the covers Hikari was under and slipping beneath them, pulling the sleeping girl into her arms. If there were any more frightening images in Hikari's mind as she slept, they were gone now, Erza's warmth, as usual, pushing them away, the crew smiling as Hikari calmed down completely.

"She's yours." Mirajane told her. "All yours."

"She is…" Erza whispered, snuggling the girl close. "You're mine, Hikari. My daughter. You don't need to be afraid anymore. I'm here…right here, and I always will be."

* * *

_Four days later_

_"That scent…I know that scent…_ "

"Erza…"

"I'm here, my Hikari..."

" _That voice…"_

"Er…za…"

"Don't be afraid. I'm right here."

" _And that warmth…that warmth…_ "

Hikari gasped and sat up, breathing heavily as she did so. The remnants of the dream still floated in her mind, the scents and feelings still surrounding her. For a dream, it was quite vivid.

"Ouch…" Moving a bit, she found her body to be a little sore, and as she looked down, she saw her left arm had been bandaged up, a few scratches and bruises on her other arm as well. Shifting in the bed again, she winced, her body achy.

" _In…bed_?"

Indeed in bed she was, dressed in fresh night clothing. Looking up now, she peered around the room, eyes squinting as they slowly became adjusted to the light.

"I was wondering when you would wake."

Hikari jumped at the sound of the voice, turning to the side and spotting a smiling and familiar looking white haired female.

"M…Mira-nee?"

Mirajane reached out and slipped her hand into Hikari's, pulling out the arm that was not bandaged and looking at it.

"Seems like your wounds are healing pretty quickly. We can thank Wendy for that."

Hikari's brows furrowed a little as she listened, her grogginess leaving her slightly confused.

"W…wounds?"

"That was a pretty intense fight. He was a hard demon to beat, but…he's gone now. We don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Demon…"

Mira looked at the child now with some slight worry.

"Hikari, don't you remember what happened?"

Once her grogginess wore off, things slowly started coming back to her. The note she left Erza, running away, her encounter with Mirajane, finding the demon, and…"

"Erza!" She said suddenly, panic now filling her. "Mom! Where is she? Mira-nee where is-"

"Shhh. Shhh. It's ok." She quickly wrapped her arms around the young child. "She's ok. Everyone is all right. I promise."

"Where is she?"

"Back at home sleeping. I sent her away and told her I would watch over you for now."

She fell into Mira's hug a little more, her panic level still high and her mind now racing with everything that happened. Gaimeka, Erza, Yuki.

" _Yuki…_ "

She thought she was going to lose Erza the way she had lost Yuki, and it scared her senseless. She had already lost someone precious; she hadn't wanted to lose anyone else.

" _Yuki…_ "

The thought of her dead sister floated into her mind, her heart heavy. Then the memory of hurting and running away from Erza. She had hurt the one person that had always taken care of her, and then to almost really lose her…

"Mira-nee…"

The woman backed away slightly from the child to look at her face, but what she saw took her off guard a little bit.

"Hikari?"

Watered up brown eyes stared back, tear streaks soon enough falling down her cheeks.

"Mira….nee…" And before she could say anything else, she burst into tears, the pain from everything that had happened hitting her like a brick. Mirajane quickly climbed onto the bed and pulled the girl back into her arms and held her tight, rubbing her back and cooing at her softly in attempts to calm her down.

"It's ok, I promise…everything is ok now. I'm right here."

Hikari hid her face in the woman's embrace and let it all out, the tears feeling as if they would never stop coming.

"It's ok…it's all ok."

Who knew how long they sat there like that…who knew how long she cried. Letting it out was definitely needed with what she had gone through, and Mirajane had no problem staying by the girl's side until the crying eased up. When it finally slowed, Hikari backed away a little, wiping the tears off her face.

"Mira-nee…" she said softly.

Mirajane reached out and tucked some of the child's brown locks behind her ear.

"Talk to me." she told her gently.

"I…I don't know." Hikari stuttered out. "I just…he's gone, right? He's really gone?

"Though it was a team effort, you were the one who really killed him off for good." Mirajane answered.

"I know, I just…I don't know how to feel. "

"About him being gone?"

"About anything." Hikari replied. "Like…like Yuki."

Her heart clenched when she spoke her name.

"I…I know it was really Gaimeka's fault she's dead, but, there's a part of me that still blames myself…part of me that still feels that if I had done something differently in the past, I could have saved her."

"There was nothing that could be done." Mirajane told her softly. "No one knew that would happen as quickly as it did. You were already on your way out there to save her. You tried-"

"But was too late." Hikari finished, a few more tears escaping her. "I was too late. By the time we had all gotten there, he had come and…and…I'm trying to tell myself it's not, but I just feel like it's my fault. I was supposed to protect her."

Mirajane let out a light sigh. When it came to this subject, there was something she had wanted to say for a long time, but never got the chance. Now was the perfect time. So, after shifting herself slightly, she pulled the girl a little closer into her arms.

"Hikari, there is something I've been wanting to tell you." She began. "Something very important that you need to hear."

"What?" she asked, a little confused.

"Hikari, did you know…that once upon a time, I thought that Lisanna was dead?"

These words took the eleven year old completely off guard. Staring up at Mira, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"But…what? How? She's not dead…"

"But I thought she was." Mira told her. "See, a long time back, Elfman, Lisanna, and I were on a mission. She was fourteen at the time. After a fight, she was hurt by Elfman in his demon form. He wasn't himself…he didn't mean it. After I found her, she was alive, but eventually she disappeared in my arms. I thought…I thought that she had died…that she was truly gone. I have never hurt so much in my life…"

Mira chocked up a little as she spoke, the memories haunting her, but she kept on.

"Anyways, two years after, we all found out she wasn't dead. I won't bother going into details right now on how we found out for there is much to say, but…she was alive."

Hikari listened with wide eyes at the story, never knowing this part of the take-over siblings' lives.

" _So…she knew? She knew what it felt like to lose…a sister?_ "

"During the two years I thought she was dead, I blamed myself…thinking that there was something I could have done. I was the oldest, I was supposed to protect her, and, with everything that had happened and in blaming myself, my…my powers shut down."

Hikari's eyes widened a little more at this statement.

"Like….me? Your powers shut down like mine did?"

"They did….for two years my powers stayed dormant."

"But…they came back when you found out Lisa-nee was alive?"

"No, actually." Mira replied. "They came back when…when I thought Elfman was going to die."

"Wh….what?"

"Mhm. They came back when I thought I was going to lose Elfman…just like yours came back when you thought you were going to lose Erza."

Every word of this story struck a chord in her heart. So that meant that…everything she was going through…that everything she was feeling…

"You felt, too." Hikari said softly. "You knew how I felt…you always knew…"

"Yeah…" Mira replied. "I was going to tell you-"

"But I was too busy being stupid to listen…" Hikari cut in, her gaze falling from the girl's face. Mirajane knew what it felt like to lose a sister and had even lost her powers like she did. The woman could relate to her so easily, but did she listen? No, she ran. As always, she ran.

While lost in her thoughts, she felt a hand slip under her chin, her head now being lifted until her eyes were level with Mirajane's again, a serious look on the older female's face.

"Don't say that." She told her. "You were not stupid. You were hurting, Hikari, everyone understands that."

"But I hurt everyone and-"

"No, you-"

"But-"

"Hikari."

The girl felt more tears fall down her face. She wanted to say more, but Mira wouldn't have it.

"Don't blame yourself. What's done is done. You're here, you're safe, and all is forgiven. Don't think on it anymore. We all love you, Hikari."

"Even Erza?"

She knew that was a stupid question to ask the moment the words left her mouth, Mirajane cocking an eyebrow when she heard it.

"I don't think I need to answer that one. You already know the answer."

Hikari sniffled a little, wiping away more tears and leaning back in the woman's embrace. She really would be stupid if she thought that Erza didn't love her.

"Um…I told her…Erza…that I…I loved her, the day we fought Gaimeka."

The woman nodded, a smile on her face. Those were words Hikari always had trouble saying and she was very proud the little girl has finally spoke them.

"I heard. She definitely loved hearing those words from you."

"Do you think…do you think I got all that power because I said it?" Hikari asked, looking at her hands. She never knew she was capable of using her magic like that. She had never felt so strong in her life.

"It could have been." Mirajane answered. "Love is quite powerful after all, and with you saying it and truly feeling it, your power grew. Magic starts from the heart after all. Perhaps because you truly let love in did your magic grow so much in that moment. Love is a strong magic, Hikari, and you must always remember that it is something you are never without."

Hikari looked up at the other, a small smile finally appearing on her face, the pain in her chest now being replaced by warmth.

"I…I love you, Mira-nee."

Mirajane smiled back, her own warmth growing at hearing those words.

"I love you, too, Hikari." She said back, hugging the girl tight. "I love you, too."

When they let go, Hikari looked at the infirmary door.

"Did you say Erza was sleeping?"

"Mhm." Mirajane replied. "You have been knocked out for almost a week. She hasn't gotten much sleep at all, so I kicked her out a few hours ago to get some."

"A week?" she asked, not realizing she had been out that long. "What time is it now?"

"It's close to midnight."

"Midnight!? I didn't realize that it was that late! Then why are you still here? Shouldn't you be sleeping, too?"

"Everyone has been taking turns to watch over you, night or day." Mira answered, giggling a little at the girl's reaction.

"Everyone?"

"Yes, everyone. Lucy, Lisanna, Wendy…everyone."

"I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cause trouble!"

"Hikari-"

"You must be so tired! You should get some sleep now!"

"Hika-"

"I promise I'll be ok! You can-"

"Will you just shush!" Mirajane said as she giggled, grabbing the girl and hugging her so tight she couldn't speak. "You're silly sometimes, you know that? There's no need to be sorry when we wanted to do this."

"But-"

"Shush. "

Now Hikari couldn't help but smile herself a little. It was going to be an argument she wouldn't win so there was no point in continuing.

"Well then…thank you. Thank you for watching over me…and I'll thank everyone else when they wake up."

Mira placed a warm kiss on the girl's head at these words.

"No thanks are needed, but you're welcome."

Pulling back, Hikari looking down as she began to play with her night shirt sleeve shyly.

"Um, Mira-nee?"

"Yes?"

"I know she's sleeping, but…but do you think I could go see her? Erza?"

"See her?"

"Yeah…" she said, looking back up at the other a little sheepishly. "I…I want her."

Mira smiled and nodded, standing up.

"Well then, let's go see her. She'll be so excited and relieved to see you awake."

"Well no! I don't want to wake her yet! If she hasn't been sleeping much, she should just sleep. I was just gonna sneak in bed and fall asleep with her…"

"Awwww, that's so cute!"

"Is not!" Hikari said with a blush, her defensive side kicking in for a moment. Old habits die hard.

"It is, too! You will be a great thing for her to wake up to!"

Hikari just grumbled shyly and shrugged her shoulder.

"It's not that big…I just wanted…wait…no! Damn it. I don't think I have my key with me."

"Oh don't worry, you can get in there without having to knock and wake her." Mira told her, pulling out something silver from her pocket. "I have a key."

"What? You? Why do you have a key?"

"Oh nothing!" Mirajane said a little shyly, a blush on her face. "Come on, let's go get you settled in!"

And with that, the two left the guild and headed to the apartment. Once they were there, they stepped to Erza's door, Mirajane unlocking it and opening it quietly.

"She's all yours now." Mirajane whispered. "She really will be excited to wake to you."

Hikari opened the door a little more and peeked inside. All of the lights were out. She was definitely asleep. Turning around, she wrapped her arms around Mira and hugged her again.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome." Mira replied. "I'm glad you're all right. Sleep well, Hikari. I'll see you in the morning."

After that, Hikari made her way inside and shut the door.

" _I hope this Is ok…_ " she thought as she made her way around in the darkness. There was no reason why it wouldn't be ok but Hikari always worried about something.

"Ouch!"

She covered her mouth with her hand after accidently hitting the corner of the table with her leg and stood perfectly still, hoping she didn't wake the other, but nothing could be heard, she was safe. After cursing the aforementioned object, she made her way to Erza's room and snuck inside, stopping at the empty side of the bed. Erza was definitely knocked out, and in knowing she had been awake more than asleep lately, she really thought it was best to let her get her rest. So, she carefully crawled into bed and got under the blankets, curling up and letting out a yawn. Though she had been out for a week, she still felt pretty tired.

"I love you, Okaasan." She said quietly. She hoped things would go well in the morning. Though Mira had told her that all was forgiven, she still felt bad.

Reaching out, she slipped her hand into Erza's, happy she didn't wake. She was home now, and the woman was by her side. She felt safe, and with her tiredness kicking in again, it wasn't long until she too was asleep.

 


	11. Home

When the next morning came, it was a day no different than any other. People were out and about selling some goods, shopping around, or heading to work. Everything was normal. Well,  _almost_  everything. Any differences in the day took place in a specific guild, and unusual quietness going on at the usually rambunctious Fairy Tail. Yes there were people talking and chatting, but still it wasn't as loud as it usually was. There was no Natsu breaking down the door, no Gray yelling at him, no Lucy or Lisanna telling them to stop, no Erza stepping in and beating them both, no Wendy doing some healing after the fights were over…even Mirajane was gone, absent from her daily job of serving drinks and such. The guild noticed this difference, and when they realized they were missing, they wondered what had happened. Even the Master seemed a bit worried. Where were they?

"Gray move over! Stop hogging all the room!"

"You move over! You're the one taking up all of the space"

"Ouch! Natsu watch out! You just squished my tail!"

"Guys, be quiet! You're gonna wake them up!"

Standing outside of Erza's door, only a handful of them showing and sign of patience, were the missing members, all waiting for the two to wake up. Now most normal people wouldn't wait right outside the door, but when Mirajane filled them in on what happened the previous night, they all couldn't help but gather there. Not only did they want to see the girl, but they each wanted to hear the outcome of a certain something was going to happen after Aishu had woken up. A certain event that everyone but the child was aware of.

"Neeee how long are they gonna sleep? Can't they wake up now?" Happy asked.

"Idiot, Hikari's been through a lot and Erza hasn't slept much, they need it." Carla replied, crossing her arms over her chest as she sat on her owner's shoulders.

"She's right." Wendy added. "Their sleep is a little more important, but I am sure they will wake up soon enough. It's already close to noon. I do worry though…will Hikari really want to stay?"

"I think so." Lisanna answered. "You saw how she was yesterday."

"She said she loved her." Lucy added. "She said everyone here was her family."

"She'll stay…I know it." Mirajane said warmly, remembering the conversation from that night. "She's not going to go anywhere. She-"

"There! Wait!" Happy said suddenly.

"What?" Natsu asked.

"Listen." The exceed said back quietly. "I can hear them! They're moving…"

And though they thought one of them could simply be moving in their sleep, Happy was right, for inside the room, a still sleepy young brunette had begun to wake up, a strange little itch on her face the cause of it.

"Nyaaaaa…" she grumbled lightly, reaching up to scratch at it. Once it stopped, she curled back up, wanting some more sleep, but of course, that did not happen. Seconds after she got rid of it, the itch came back. Instead of scratching it first, however, she opened her eyes, her groggy gaze slowly becoming clearer by the second. What woke her up finally was the sudden realization of two things. One, the itch on her face was due to a finger scratching at her cheek, and two, from the moment she opened her eyes, she found a familiar pair locked with her own.

"Erza…"

Hikari went to go sit up, but before she got the chance to, Erza had pulled her in close, wrapping her arms around her and snuggling her tight. This was an unexpected move for the young one, and though the warmth was very inviting, a pang of guilt also swam inside of her.

"Erza…"

Nothing. Erza made no movement and no noise, still just snuggling the girl tight.

"Erza?"

Still nothing.

"Erza. I'm…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for running and for causing trouble and for-"

"Shhhh."

Another thing the child wasn't expecting. She wanted to apologize for what she had done, but the other was not letting her do so.

"But Erza, I-"

"Shhhh." The woman said again, hugging the girl a little tighter. Was she being serious? After all of the things Hikari did…all of the thing she caused, all Erza wanted to do was snuggle her?

" _It's because they're not mad, remember?_ " she told herself. " _Mira-nee said they didn't hate you and that they weren't mad. They were only..._ "

"I was so worried."

Erza had finally spoke, her hand gently scratching the girl's back a she placed a soft kiss on top of her head. Hikari found herself sinking deeper into Erza's warmth, a feeling she and missed tremendously. In thinking she had lost it made her realize how precious it was…how precious she was.

"How are you feeling? I was really, really hoping you would be ok. "

"I'm am ok." Hikari said back, feeling guiltier by the minute. Erza's words had been calming and soft, but she could hear the hint of sadness behind them. She really had been worried sick for her.

"Erza, please…" she said, not wanting the woman to cut her off again in attempts to say this. "Please…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I didn't mean to make you guys worry, and I didn't mean to-"

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

Erza pulled away slightly, resting her forehead on Hikari's own and looking her in the eyes.

"Absolutely nothing. You're here in my arms and you are safe. That is all I wanted. Don't be sorry."

" _Don't be sorry…_ " Hikari's eyes welled up a little. Maybe Mira-nee was right. They weren't at all mad in the slightest. They just wanted her to be ok, they just wanted her to be safe...so with that in mind…

"Erza…" Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around Erza's neck, hugging her and hiding her face in the woman's hair, the scent a familiar friend.

"Thank you…" she whispered. "Mira-nee told me you and everyone else has been there for me the entire time I was knocked out, that you hardly left my side…thank you, Erza…thank you."

She felt Erza's arms wrap tightly around her, a single tear falling from the woman's eyes.

"Oh my little Hikari-chan." She said with a smile. "My Hikari-chan."

After a few more tender moments of silent but happy snuggles and much needed loving, the two sat up, both leaning back against the headboard of the bed. Erza kept the girl in her arms, really not ready to let her go, and Hikari didn't mind it in the slightest. Right in those arms was where she wanted to be, but a few thoughts still bugged her…some feelings of guilt still playing through her heart.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Erza asked.

"Yeah…I am. Just tired. Don't know why though…apparently I was out for a week."

"Well you used up a lot of magic. You went from being dormant to exploding with strong magical power and it took a toll on your body, and that on top of everything you were going through emotionally…I think you still have a right to be tired."

"Yeah…maybe."

Erza could see that there was still quite a bit on her child's mind, brows furrowing slightly as she tucked a piece of Hikari's brown hair behind her ear.

"Talk to me, little one. I can tell something is still bothering you. What's on your mind?"

There was quite a bit still bothering the eleven year old girl, but she had trouble forming them into words, her chest still feeling heavy emotionally. Regardless though, she had to try. She didn't want to shut out to the woman anymore.

"I don't know…" she said softly, her eyes down as she fiddled with the sleeves of her night shirt. "A lot I guess…and…Yuki…"

Saying that name still broke her heart in two. Yes, the death happened over a week and a half before, but it still felt like only yesterday to the young dragon slayer, and with her being so incredibly close to the deceased female and loving her as she did, it was not something she was easily going to get over.

"It hurts…" she said quietly. "It just…hurts."

Upon hearing this, Ezra held Hikari closer, kissing the girl on the head.

"I know love…I know, and I wish I could make it all go away, I really do. Unfortunately, those kind of feelings only go away with time. You need time to heal, and you are allowed it. There is no shame in it, and you won't be going through it alone either. You have myself and the rest of the Fairy Tail family here for you, too. You also have to know that it wasn't your fault. You tried, and you tried your best. You loved her and she knew that. Her death was not on you."

Hikari sighed, sniffling as her eyes watered up again.

"I know…I know it's not my fault, but still…it just…I don't know, it just hurts. I miss her…I really, really do. She was my little sister…"

"I know sweetie." Erza said softly. "And she will always be your little sister, and even though she is not here with you physically, she is with you in here."

Backing away a little, Erza placed her hand on Hikari's heart.

"She will always be alive in your heart, and you need to know that from now until forever, she still and will always love you, too."

A few more tears escaped her when this was said, Hikari retreated back into Erza's arms and hiding her face in the woman's chest.

"I know….I know…"

The two remained quiet again for a moment, Hikari letting out a few more tears before calming down again, Erza wiping and kissing them away.

"You know…Mira-nee told me she went through this, too." Hikari said. "She told me the story about Lisa-nee and how she thought she lost her and that her powers shut down, too."

"Mhm." Erza replied, running her fingers though Hikari's dark brown locks. "She did. I remember."

"I had no idea…and this whole time she could relate to me. This whole time she knew how I was feeling and wanted to tell be, but I just wouldn't listen…"

Pulling away a little, Hikari sat up fully, bringing her knees to her chest.

"I know you told me not to say this, but I am really sorry. I'm sorry I hurt and worried you. I said stupid things and did what I always do when I get scared. It would have been easier and smarter to go to you first."

"Don't worry about it." Erza told her. "It doesn't matter now."

"But it does matter…" Hikari said back. "How could I have said and did the things I have done when all you've ever done is take care of me and such. It wasn't right."

"It's really ok. You were upset and in a lot of pain." Erza replied. "Hikari, please…it's all ok. What's done is done. The past is in the past and all that matters is that you are here now. I love you so much, Hikari…so much…and all I ever want is you with me. I wanted you the very first day I met you."

Hikari blushed upon hearing those words.

"You…did?"

"Of course." The scarlet haired woman answered, squeezing the girls arm gently. "I don't know what it was about you, but you made something snap in my heart and I was hooked. And over time, you made that feeling grow. My Hikari, please, don't worry about what happened in the past anymore. Just know I love you and that everything is going to be ok."

Hikari's heart jumped and skipped a beat, her chest warming immensely, and the words she had kept locked up for a long time now ached to come out. Yes, she had said it the day of the attack, but now, with the two completely alone…

" _You can do it…just be brave…_ "

After a few more moments of thinking, she took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"And…I…I love you, too!" Those words felt foreign on her mouth, tears welling up as she told them this. "I mean it…I really do. I'm just not very good at showing it. However, I want to get good at it. I want to stop worrying so much about getting hurt. I want to be able to have those moments where I can just snuggle up and feel safe without threatening to kill anyone….this is why I love it when we are together because I can have those moments. Granted, I do still get a little nervous, but I still love it…I love being with you…I…I love you…"

They both sat there in silence for a moment. Hikari had never been that open about how she was truly and deeply feeling with adult before, her stomach now in knots from doing so. The silence wasn't helping either.

"Well…" Erza finally said. "I guess I really didn't need to worry about that after all."

"Wait…" said a very confused Hikari. "What?"

"They were all right. I should have literally stopped worrying ages ago."

"What are you talking about?"

The woman giggled, leaning in close so her forehead was touching Aishu's. Winking, she nodded to an object in front of them.

"You see the bureau over there?" she asked. "Go on over there and you'll find and envelope on it. Bring it back here right after."

"Envelope? What's in it?"

"You'll see. Can you get it?"

Although confused, Hikari did as she was told. Getting up, she walked over to the bureau, grabbed the item, and made her way back to the bed, sitting right in the middle of it.

"Here." She said, handing it to Erza.

The woman merely held her hands up and shook her head.

"Nope. It's not for me. It's for you."

"For…me?" she asked, her confusion growing by the second. "Why for me?"

"Open it and you'll see." She told her.

Curiosity now getting at her, she turned the envelope over and opened it up, taking out a few sheets of paper that resided inside. Unfolding them, she glanced at the first page.

"W…wait a second…" Hikari said, eyes widening as she looked it over. "No way…I…these are…"

"I see, so you do know what they are." Erza said, voice warm. "Can you tell me?"

Oh yes, she knew what they were, and as she glanced over them, time itself seemed to stop. She was just…in shock. Now, previous events should have easily given this way, but after everything that happened, Hikari thought it wouldn't happen anymore. She never even thought she would see this type of paperwork with her name on it, and as she looked over it, she tried to answer her, opening her mouth to do so, but could not find the words, streams of tears replacing them.

"What are they?" Erza asked softly.

The woman had now crawled closer to the girl, sitting close beside her. Looking up, she saw the woman looking back with warmth, making the tears fall even more.

"Papers…" she managed to say, finally finding her voice. "They're papers…adoption papers."

For some reason, when Hikari said those words, something broke inside of her…something changed. Dropping the papers, she brought her knees to her chest yet again, hiding her face in her arms, and just cried…really, really cried. You would have thought that after the amount of tears she shed with Mira, she would be out, but her chest was just so heavy that they came back again, falling freely down her face. If she hadn't truly realized it before, she knew now that someone really loved her…someone wanted her this much.

"You…you still want to adopt me?" she finally said, wiping away some tears. "After everything I have done, you want me around?" She remembered the day this was first brought up, and it was literally one of the best days in her life. She just figured that with all that had happened, that dream wasn't going to come true anymore.

"Of course I still want you. I want nothing more than to have you be part of my life…part of this big family you have here…forever. I want you. Do you really think I could ever let you go? That I could give up my little girl? I love you too much to ever do that. Too much to ever let you go, and I will love you that much and more forever. All we have to do is get these papers signed and then you will be officially mine. What do you say? Will you still be my little girl?"

Hikari's words disappeared again. Her little girl? She would be someone's…daughter? She'd have a Mother…something she always wanted…and she'd have a family. She…the one who gave up on it a long time ago…would have a real family.

"Say yes already!"

It was Natsu, who, along with everyone else, had been waiting all morning for this, that had spoken those words outside of their door. Hikari couldn't help but giggle a little, and then finally…

"Yes…" she said softly. "…yes."

The smile on Erza's face grew, her eyes shining with happiness and excitement.

"Hikari-chan!" she giggled, hugging her tightly. "My little Hikari…"

"Always." Hikari whispered. "Despite what happened, I never stopped, nor will I ever stop, being your little girl."

"Nyaa!"

It was then their bedroom door shot open, everyone who was piled up no falling and collapsing on the floor.

"Hikari!"

At full speed, Happy launched and tackled the child to the bed, the biggest smile on his face. "Hikari-chan doesn't have to leave now!"

"No, Happy." she said with a giggle. "I'm not going anywhere."

"We're you guys listening the whole time?" Erza asked.

"Of course!" Mirajane said with a smirk. "I wasn't going to wait any longer for you slowpokes to come out, so we came up ourselves."

Glancing over at Mira, the woman winked back. With her own little smile, Aishu let go of happy, got up, and greeted the white haired woman with a warm hug.

"Thank you…" she whispered.

"I'm so happy for you." Mira said back, hugging her tight.

"We all are!" said Lisanna, stealing the girl next. "I am so happy you're staying! I have missed you so much. I am so glad you are ok."

"Lisa-nee…" Hikari said warmly, happy to be in the arms of this girl as well.

"I am happy, too." Wendy said teary eyed. "I really didn't want you to go."

"No one did." Lucy said. "We all wanted you to stay."

"Maybe now you can stop being so stubborn." Grey told her.

"And now you and I can really fight!" Natsu added in.

Hikari couldn't help but giggle at the things being said, her heart fluttering like mad at all the love she was getting.

"You guys are the best. I don't ever want to leave…ever."

When her and Lisanna finally let go, she dashed back to the bed and snuggled up to Erza. Wanting to say it again in front of this woman, she nuzzled under her chin and beamed up proudly..

"Mom…you…are my Mommy.

Erza couldn't help but smile, loving the sound of the new word.

"That's right." She told her. "And you're mine now…my daughter...all mine."

Silence ensued for a few more minutes, more tender moments passing between them. It probably would have gone on much longer, but then, out of nowhere, the silence was broken by a very loud noise. The source of this sound? A grumpy looking Natsu with his hand on his stomach.

"Damn I'm hungry…"

Now they all started laughing at this, Natsu threatening to pick a fight with Grey specifically for calling him an idiot.

"Come to think of it…I'm pretty hungry, too." Hikari said.

"Well, I did have plans of making lunch downstairs in celebration." Mira told them. "We should go start!"

"Sounds good to me." Erza replied. The two of them then got up and joined the rest of the crew. Natsu was already out the door, racing out of the building and down the streets after pushing Gray aside. This of course pissed Gray off and soon enough he was running, too. Lucy and Lisanna simply followed, shaking their heads at the sight, leaving Mira, Wendy, Hikari, and Erza alone.

"You two go on up ahead." Mira told them with a wink. "There is something I need to talk to Erza about."

Nodding, Hikari gave them both a quick hug before grabbing Wendy's hand and running out of sight.

"Everything all right?" Erza asked, furrowing her brows slightly in confusion."

"Oh yes." Mira replied, walking a little closer to the woman, a little smirk on her face. "Everything is quite all right. Are you ok?"

"I-I'm ok…" she stuttered out, blushing a bit as the woman came inches from her face. It was obvious what was stirring between the two, but Mira, being Mira, was a hell of a lot braver and really showing these feelings. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason…" Mirajane replied simply. "You're gonna make a great Mother, you know."

"Y-yeah…I really hope so."

"You have doubts?"

"I don't know…I just worry I won't be a good one…"

"Erza…"

"What if I mess up? What if I am terrible at this?"

"Erza…"

"What if bad things happen? What if I am not cut out for the job. I really love her, I just-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Mira slipped in and placed a quick, but warm little kiss on Erza's face, the scarlet haired woman turning as dark as her hair.

"M-Mira!"

"You talk too much…you know that?" Mira asked with a smirk.

Oh yes, this was so happening. The stirrings of something that would grow into much more in the next few years. And if you think this was a bit shocking…

"Wendy, are you ok?"

Walking down the stairs to head outside, the two girls, along with Carla, headed to the guild at their own pace, Hikari not caring that she was still in her pajama's. She was worried though, for Wendy had a slightly sad look on her face.

"I am…" she said shyly.

"You sure?"

"She just really missed you." Carla added, the tiny exceed flying beside her owner.

"Carla!"

"Well you did! You missed her a lot. Don't know why you should hide something like that."

Hikari blushed at this statement, stopping in her tracks. A very flushed Wendy stopped, too, shyly looking down at her feet.

"I missed you, too, Wendy….I really did. I thought about you…"

Wendy's teary eyes looked up, a little shocked.

"You really thought about me?"

"I did."

"W-well….well…I thought about you, too."

Hikari was now the one looking at her feet, her emotions getting all worked up the way they usually did when the girl was around.

"I am sorry you know, for worrying you, too. I should also say thank you. You helped heal my wounds, and you were there for me."

"It wasn't much…"

"Yes it was." Hikari said back. "It was a lot…and it means a lot to me that you were there…so…thank you…"

What happened next the younger girl didn't see coming. One minute Wendy was in front of her, and the next she was in the arms of the blue haired girl, Wendy nuzzling into her hair.

"You don't need to thank me for that. I wanted to help take care of you. I was so worried."

"I know…I know, and I am so sorry for worrying you."

"Don't be sorry…just…just promise you'll never go. Promise me you won't ever leave again."

"Don't worry." Hikari said back, hugging her tight. "I promise, I won't."

"Ever?"

"Never…"

After a few more moments, they let go, both girls blushing like mad, but happy, both having little smiles on their faces.

"Come on…" Hikari said softly. "We should go."

"Ok." And with that, the two started walking. This was, however, very short lived because Wendy stopped again. "Wait, Hikari? One more thing…"

"What's that?"

Before she had a chance to really process what was happened, Wendy leaned in, kissed Hikari on the cheek, and as fast as lightening, sped off, Carla flying right behind her.

"Wh-what…I…I…"

Poor little Hikari was now alone, and oh yes, with how much she was blushing, she was literally steaming, her hand on her burning hot cheek.

"Did she just…did she…kiss me?"

Yep. If only she knew what she would soon be getting into…


End file.
